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Early  German  Music  in 
Philadelphia 


Robert  Rutherford  Drummond,  Ph»  D, 

i* 

Sometime  Harrison  Fellow  in  Germanics  at  the  University  of  Penn 
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FOREWORD 

In  this  book  I  have  sought  to  give  a  glimpse  of  the  musical  life 
of  Philadelphia  during  the  18th  Century,  laying  especial  stress  on  the 
secular  music,  and  considering  principally  the  German  music  pro 
duced  and  performed,  and  emphasizing  the  high  standard  of  musical 
taste  at  this  time. 

While  confining  myself  to  secular  music,  I  thought  it  necessary 
in  the  first  period  to  treat  somewhat  in  detail  the  religious  music, 
especially  as  the  religious  music  was  of  more  importance  in  the  first 
half  century  than  the  secular  music.  So,  too,  I  have  gone  into 
detail  somewhat  more  in  the  first  two  periods  than  in  the  last,  be 
cause  these  periods  have  not  been  so  thoroughly  investigated  as  the 
last  period  has.  It  may  be  objected  by  some,  that  I  have  not 
adequately  considered  the  concert  life  of  the  last  period.  To  these 
I  would  say  that  this  period  has  been  fully  covered  by  O.  G.  Sonneck 
in  his  "Early  Concert  Life"  in  such  a  manner  that  I,  at  least,  could 
not  improve  upon  it. 

It  is  hoped  that  this  book  may  help  to  correct  the  false  im 
pression,  that  musical  taste  in  America  in  the  18th  century  was  an 
unknown  quantity. 


This  study  was  undertaken  at  the  suggestion  of  Prof.  Marion  D. 
Learned  and  to  him  I  am  especially  grateful  for  aid  and  encourage 
ment  in  preparing  the  work.  To  O.  G.  Sonneck  of  the  Library  of 
Congress  I  am  greatly  indebted  not  only  for  material  found  in  his 
books  on  early  American  music,  but  also  for  his  extreme  kindness 
in  placing  at  my  disposal  unpublished  material.  His  suggestions 


xiv  Foreword 

and  encouragement  have  been  of  great  help  to  me.  I  wish  to  ac 
knowledge  here  the  courtesy  extended  to  me  by  the  officers  and  at 
tendants  of  the  Pennsylvania  Historical  Society  and  the  Library  of 
University  of  Pennsylvania  and  also  the  aid  given  to  me  by  various 
friends. 

This  Study  was  submitted  in  partial  Fulfillment  of  the  Re 
quirements  for  the  Degree  of  Doctor  of  Philosophy,  at  the  Univer 
sity  of  Pennsylvania,  1909. 

ROBERT  R.  DRUMMOND. 
Bangor,  Me.  Sept.  1,  1909. 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS. 

Introduction 1 

Part  I.      Beginnings  before  1750 3 

Chapter  1.     Hymn  Music  of  Germans  in  Philadelphia 5 

Chapter  II.     Church  Music  and  the  Manner  of  its  Performance  11 

Chapter  III.     Secular  Music 24 

Part  II.     Period  of  Progress  (1750-1783) 35 

Chapter  IV.     Music  Teachers 37 

Chapter  V.     Music  Dealers,  etc 40 

Chapter  VI.     Concert  Music 45 

Part  III.     Period  of  Greatest  Development  (1783-1800) 55 

Chapter  VII.     Alexander  Reinagle 57 

Chapter  VIII.     Philip  Roth  and  Philip  Phile 76 

Conclusion 84 

Appendix.     List  of  Reinagle's  Compositions 85 


INTRODUCTION. 

The  early  immigration  of  Germans  to  Philadelphia  increased 
to  such  an  extent,  that  before  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century 
the  English  colonists  became  alarmed  for  fear  that  Pennsylvania 
might  be  alienated  from  the  English  crown,  and  be  dominated  by 
the  German  immigrants.  Indeed,  throughout  the  eighteenth  cen 
tury  the  greater  part  of  the  German  immigrants  landed  at  Phila 
delphia,  and  from  there  were  distributed  into  other  States.  We 
should  naturally  expect,  with  so  great  a  population  of  Germans 
in  Philadelphia  and  the  surrounding  country,  that  these  people 
would  continually  extend  their  influence,  and  constantly  spread 
abroad  their  ideas  of  art,  religion,  music  and  literature. 

Let  us  consider  for  a  moment  the  condition  of  the  Germans 
who  landed  in  this  country.  In  1683,  moved  by  William  Penn's 
alluring  proclamations  of  the  glorious  new  world,  as  well  as  by 
the  fact  that  freedom  of  conscience  was  granted  in  Pennsyl 
vania  to  all,  a  band  of  German  immigrants  arrived  in  Philadel 
phia  and  founded  Germantown.  With  the  exception  of  the 
scholar,  Francis  Daniel  Pastorious,  there  were  no  highly  cultured 
men  or  women  among  them.  These  people  were  of  the  middle 
class,  and  were  more  interested  in  weaving  and  agriculture  and 
religious  salvation,  than  in  the  cultivation  of  the  fine  arts.  The 
conditions  in  Germany  were  not  conducive  to  culture. 

The  country  was  just  recovering  from  the  Thirty  Years' 
War,  and  the  strength  of  the  people  was  being  expended  in 
building  up  the  homes,  and  improving  the  land  made  desolate 
during  that  fierce  struggle.  At  this  time,  too,  the  German  people 
had  little  liberty,  but  rather  were  under  the  thumb  of  absolutism, 
which  was  at  that  time  the  great  force  in  European  countries.  It 
was  not  an  epoch  favorable  to  the  cultivation  of  the  fine  arts. 
There  was  no  great  literature,  no  great  art,  no  great  music.  There 


2  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

was,  however,  a  strong  religious  spirit,  which  is  often  the  result 
of  hardship  and  suffering.  It  is  in  the  field  of  religion,  too,  that 
we  find  the  best  music  during  the  seventeenth  century,  although 
it  was  not  original  in  style,  but  simply  a  continuation  of  Luther's 
music. *  The  hymn  writers  of  that  time,  both  Catholic  and  Protes 
tant,  are  not  to  be  despised,  and  we  need  mention  but  a  few, 
whose  songs  have  lived  even  to  the  present  day:  as  Paul  Fleming 
(1609-1640)  and  Paul  Gerhardt  (1606-1676),  Protestant;  Fried- 
rich  Spee  (1591-1635)  and  Johann  Scheffer  (1624-1677),  Catho 
lics.  It  can  be  said,  then,  with  some  degree  of  surety,  that  the 
performance  of  music  by  the  early  German  settlers  in  Philadel 
phia  was  confined,  in  the  province  of  music,  to  hymns. 

In  this  department  the  Germans  hold  an  important  position; 
not  only  was  their  church  music  an  essential  part  of  their  ser 
vices,  but  the  number  of  hymn-writers  and  the  many  editions  of 
German  hymn  books  published  in  Philadelphia  testify  to  the  love 
which  these  new  settlers  had  for  church  music. 

It  is  only  necessary  to  mention  a  few  of  these  hymn-writers 
to  recall  to  mind  the  extreme  productiveness  of  this  style  of  litera 
ture  and  music.  Among  the  most  important  hymn-writers  were 
F.  D.  Pastorius,  of  Germantown;  Johann  Kelpius,  of  the  Wissa- 
hickon;  Conrad  Beissel,  of  Ephrata,  and  Count  von  Zinzendorf, 
the  Moravian.2 


1Louis  Elson,  National  Music  in  America,  p.  18. 

2Cf.  for  further  information  on  this  subject:  J.  H.  Dubbs,  Early  German 
Hymnology  of  Pennsylvania;  Hausmann,  German  American  Hymnology  1683- 
1800,  in  Americana  Germanica  1898,  Vol.  II.  No.  3,  p.  n. 


PART   I 
Beginnings  before  1750 


CHAPTER  I. 
HYMN  Music  OF  GERMANS  IN  PHILADELPHIA. 

To  Francis  Daniel  Pastorious  has  been  assigned  the  honor  of 
being  the  first  German  hymn  writer  on  American  soil.  Pastorious1 
was  born  Sept.  26,  1651  at  Sommerhausen,  Germany,  of  cultured 
parents  of  some  means  and  position  in  society.  His  father  Melchior 
Pastorious  had  studied  Catholic  theology  and  also  jurisprudence, 
but  had  finally  renounced  his  faith  and  had  become  a  Protestant. 
Needless  to  say  Francis  Daniel's  education  was  not  neglected.  He 
was  sent  to  school  in  various  places:  as  Windsheim,  Basel,  Nuremberg, 
Erfurt,  Strassburg  where  he  studied  law  and  the  French  language, 
Jena  where  besides  law  he  studied  Italian,  and  finally  he  took  his 
degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws  at  Altdorf,  1676. 

He  settled  now  at  Frankfurt  am-Main  and  practiced  his  pro 
fession.  He  probably  continued  in  this  work  until  1680,  when,  as 
the  companion  of  Johann  Bonaventura  von  Rodeck,  he  made  a 
journey,  extending  over  two  years,  through  Holland,  England, 
France,  Switzerland,  and  Germany.  Upon  his  return  to  Frankfurt, 
November,  1682,  he  became  interested  in  the  mysticism  of  Spener  and 
his  companions,  and  the  movement  to  America  which  they  were 
promoting — filled  him  with  an  ardent  longing  to  share  in  it.  So, 
with  the  consent  of  his  father  who  provided  him  with  money,  Francis 
Daniel  set  sail  for  America  and  arrived  in  Philadelphia  Aug.  20, 
1683,  six  weeks  before  the  other  immigrants  landed. 

Pastorious  was  the  only  highly  educated  man  in  this  colony.  He 
was  looked  up  to  by  the  other  colonists  for  this  reason,  and  also 


1Hausmann,    "German    American    Hymnology    1683-1800,"    in    Americana 
Germanica  (hereafter.  Am.  Ger.)  1898,  Vol.  II,  No.  3,  p.  n. 


6  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

because  he  was  the  agent  of  a  land  company  formed  in  Germany 
for  the  purchase  and  sale  of  land  in  Pennsylvania.  The  new  colonists 
chose  as  the  spot  for  their  new  homesteads  a  tract  of  land  not  far 
from  Philadelphia,  where  they  founded  Germanopolis  or  German- 
town. 

On  Nov.  26,  1688,  Pastorious  married  Knnecke  Klostermanns 
and  had  two  sons,  whose  descendants  live  at  the  present  day. 
In  1691,  Pastorious  was  elected  to  the  newly-created  office  of 
"Burgermeister,"  an  office  to  which  he  was  chosen  three  other  times. 
Besides  this  office,  he  was  for  many  years  elected  to  the  position  of 
"  Stadtschreiber,"  and  was  also  schoolmaster  at  different  times. 
He  was  known  as  a  writer  of  some  talent,  and  composed  poems, 
hymns,  epigrams,  etc.,  in  Greek,  Latin,  German,  French,  Dutch, 
English  and  Italian.  I  will  close  this  bare  outline  with  Pastorious' 
account  of  himself  as  quoted  by  Seidensticker : 

"Der  Verfasser  dieses  Manuscripts  hat  ein  melancholisch- 
cholerisches  Temperament  und  ist  daher,  nach  Culpepper, 
sanftmiithig,  zu  einem  niichternen  eingezogenen  Leben  disponirt, 
wissbegierig,  unentschlossen,  bescheiden,  schiichtern,  bedachtig, 
standhaft,  und  zuverlassig  in  seinen  Handlungen,  langsamen  Witzes, 
vergesslich.  Geschieht  ihm  Unrecht,  so  tragt  er  es  nicht  nach." 

This  remarkable  man  died  Sept.  27,  1719. 2 
Pastorious'  hymns  are  up  to  the  standard  of  most  hymns  written 
at  that  time. 

In  point  of  time  the  next  hymn  writers  were  the  so-called 
"Hermits  of  Wissahickon,"  a  band  of  men  and  women  steeped  in 
German  mysticism,  and  having  a  belief  that  the  end  of  the  world 
was  soon  to  come  and  that  their  one  love  should  be  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ;  so  on  this  account  renouncing  marriage  as  sinful.  It  was  in 
this  wilderness,  beside  the  Wissahickon  Stream  about  eight  miles 
from  Philadelphia,  that  this  band  of  Pietists  in  the  year  1694  took  up 


2The  material  for  this  sketch  was  obtained  in  great  part  from  Seidensticker's, 
Geschieht sblaetter  (Bilder  aus  der  Deutsch-Pennsylvanischen  Geschichte)  pp.  34  ff. 
Also  M.  D.  Learned.  Life  of  Francis  Daniel  Pastorious. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  7 

their  abode,  and  from  whence  issued  the  strains  of  hymns,  reminding 
one,  in  some  instances  of  love  songs  rather  than  praises  to  God.3 
There  were  in  this  congregation  a  number  of  men  of  high  culture 
and  lofty  aims  such  as  Johann  Kelpius,  Henry  Bernhard  Koster, 
Johann  Gottfried  Seelig,  etc. 

The  most  important  man  was  Johann  Kelpius,  their  leader, 
who  composed  the  greater  number  of  their  hymns.4  Kelpuis  was 
the  son  of  a  pastor  in  Denndorf  in  the  Siebenbiirgian  district  of 
Germany.  He  studied  theology  at  Altorf ,  where  he  was  a  pupil  and 
favorite  of  the  learned  doctor,  Johann  Fabricius. 

"Fabricius  vertrat,"  says  Seidensc ticker,  "die  sogenannte 
irensche  oder  friedliebende  Schule  der  Theologie,  die  von  der 
bittern  Fehde  gegen  andere  Confessionen  absah.  Kelpuis,  anfangs 
ein  sternger  Calvinist,  griff  den  Gedanken  an  ein  innerliches  Christen- 
thum  begierig  auf  und  bildete  ihn  unter  andern  Binflussen  weiter."5 

In  1689,  Kelpius  obtained  his  master's  degree.  In  the  years 
following  he  composed  an  essay  entitled:  "Scylla  Theologiae, 
aliquot  exemplis  Patrum  et  Doctorum,  etc."  About  this  time  he 
must  have  obtained  a  knowledge  of  the  religion  of  the  mystics,  and 
must  also  have  come  under  the  influence  of  Jacob  Bohme's  phil 
osophy,  and  Spener's  theosophy. 

Such  was  the  man  who  led  the  band  of  hermits,  which  arrived 
in  Philadelphia,  June  23,  1694.  His  life  on  the  Wissahickon  was 


— -  3Cf.  Seidensticker.     Geschichtsblaetter,  p.  87  ff. 

4S.  Pennypacker.     Hymn  Book  of  the  Hermits  of  the   Wissahickon   (Penn. 
Mag.  of  History  Vol.  XXV,  p.  338.) 

5Seidensticker.     Geschichtsblaetter  p.   91. 


8  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

one  of  pious  contemplation,  and  striving  to  follow  out  his  idea  of 
Christianity.  He  died  1708. 6 

The  Hon.  S.  W.  Pennypacker  has  in  his  possession  a  hymn 
book  composed  by  these  people,  in  which  some  of  the  hymns  are 
dated  1707.  He  reports  that  Kelpuis  wrote  nineteen  hymns ;  another 
writer  possibly  Koster  thirteen  hymns;  and  Seelig  four  hymns. 7 

Not  only  did  these  "Hermits"  worship  God  with  song,  but 
they  undoubtedly  accompanied  their  voices  with  musical  instruments, 
since  we  know  that  they  brought  the  latter  with  them  from  London.8 
Also  we  find  Kelpuis  in  one  of  his  letters  desiring  that  two  clavichords 
with  additional  strings  might  be  sent.9  This  simply  goes  to  show 
that  this  little  band  of  religious  fanatics  was  not  deficient  in  musical 
ability,  and  also  that  they  carefully  nurtured  their  love  for  music. 
Gradually  these  Pietists  died  or  renounced  their  faith  and  were 
received  into  other  religious  societies,10  and  in  the  latter  case  one 
may  be  sure  that  their  musical  instruments  went  with  them  and  were 
played  and  listened  to  with  pleasure  in  a  far  wider  circle  than  formerly. 

It  is  not  our  purpose  to  consider  in  detail  the  various  German 
hymn-writers  in  Pennsylvania,  as  the  field  is  far  too  large,  and  besides 
the  composers  for  the  most  part,  were  not  inhabitants  of  Philadelphia. 
There  are  a  few  men,  however,  of  sufficient  importance  to  be  con 
sidered,  even  though  they  lie  somewhat  without  our  field  of  operation. 
Perhaps  the  most  picturesque  figure  in  the  history  of  American  music 
in  this  century  is  Conrad  Beissel  of  Kphrata  Cloister.  He  not  only 
evolved  a  new  system  of  music,  but  was  also  the  first  composer  of 
music  in  America.  He  wrote  hymns  and  chorals  in  four,  five,  six, 
and  seven  parts,  while  usually  in  other  congregations  the  hymns 
were  sung  in  unison.11 

The  first  edition  of  Ephrata  hymns  was  published  by  Benjamin 
Franklin,  Philadelphia,  1730,  while  different  editions  of  new  hymns 


6For  this  sketch  cf .  Seidensticker.     Geschichtsblaetter ,  pp.  91-100. 

1Penn.  Mag.  of  History,  Vol.  XXV  p.  338. 

8Cf.  Seidensticker,  Geschichtsblaetter,  p.  89. 

9Cf.  Seidensticker,  Geschichtsblatter ;  p.  100. 

"Seidensticker,  Geschichtsblaetter,  p.  102. 

UT.  H.  Sachse,  Music  of  the  Ephrata  Cloister,  p.  29  [hereafter,  "Sachse."] 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  9 

appeared  in  1732,  1736,  1739,  1754,  1755,  1756  (2  eds.),  1762,  and 
1766. 12  Of  these  hymns,  over  1,000  are  attributed  to  Conrad 
Beissel.  Not  only  did  he  compose  music,  but  he  also  wrote  the  first 
treatise  on  harmony  in  America.13  Concerning  the  quality  of  the 
music  Dr.  J.  H.  Sachse  says:  "The  peculiar  sweetness  and  weird 
beauty  of  the  songs  of  the  sisterhood,  and  the  impressive  cadence  of 
the  chorals  and  hymns  of  the  combined  chorus"14  is  strikingly  seen. 

Before  the  end  of  the  century  nearly  all  the  sects  of  the  Penn 
sylvania  Germans  had  their  editions  of  hymn-books,  for  the  most  part 
abridgements  of  those  in  use  in  the  mother  country.  A  few  sects, 
however,  had  men  versed  in  poetry  as  well  as  religion,  and  these 
helped  to  swell  the  hymn-books,  already  in  use,  with  new  songs. 
The  Moravians  were  especially  prolific,  and  under  the  direction  of 
Count  Nikolaus  von  Zinzendorf,  who  himself  wrote  over  130  hymns 
in  this  country,  produced  a  work  of  some  importance.  "No 
authorized  hymn-book  for  the  Moravian  church  was  issued  in 
America  during  the  colonial  period,  but  a  small  collection  printed  at 
Germantown  by  [C.]  Sauer  [in]  1742,  'Hirtenlieder  von  Bethlehem'  " 
was  popular.16  Zinzendorf  was  not  the  only  hymn  writer  among 
the  Moravians,  since  there  were  also  his  two  wives,  his  son,  Bishop 
Spangenberg  and  others,  who  had  some  ability  in  this  line.  In 
speaking  of  the  "German- American  Hymnology,"  Haussmann 
remarks  that  the  hymns  of  all  sects  were  subjective,  excepting  those 
of  the  Moravians.17 

In  the  18th  century,  Philadelphia  and  Germantown  were  the 
two — for  a  time  the  only  two — important  printing  centres  of  Penn 
sylvania,  and  here  it  was  that  the  greater  number  of  German  hymn 
books  were  printed.  There  can  be  no  doubt,  I  think,  that  many  of 
these  German  hymns  were  known  to  most  of  the  inhabitants  of 


12Amer.  Ger.  Vol.  II,  No.  3,  p.  19.     Dubbs,  p.  9. 
13Sachse,  p.  22. 

14Sachse,  p.  29.     (For  further  information  on  this  subject  consult  the  works 
quoted  above.) 

16Dubbs,  p.  18  ff. 

11  Am.  Ger.  Vol.  II,  No.  3,  p.  39. 


10  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

Philadelphia,  but  as  to  whether  or  not  these  hymns  had  any  influence 
upon  the  people,  we  are  as  yet,  not  prepared  to  say.  At  this  time,  we 
can  do  no  more  than  enumerate  the  different  editions  of  German 
hymn-books  printed  in  Philadelphia  and  vicinity  during  the  18th 
century,  although  we  hope  that  we  may  later  investigate  them 
thoroughly.  In  1744  the  Brotherhood  of  the  Inspired  pro 
duced  an  abridgement  of  a  larger  European  collection.  This  be 
came  a  favorite  with  the  different  Separatist  bodies.  It  was  called 
"Das  Kleine  Davidische  Psalterspiel  der  Kinder  Zions."18  This 
book  contains  530  pages,  and  was  printed  by  C.  Sauer,  German  town. 
In  1752  Sauer  reprinted  the  "Marburg  Reformed  Hymn  Book; 
175319  "Die  Kleine  Harfe,"20  1762,  Marburg  edition  of  the  Lutheran 
hymn-book, 21  and  also  in  this  same  year  the  first  edition  of  Schwenk- 
f elder  hymns, 2ia  some  of  which  were  composed  in  this  country,  others 
taken  from  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  hymn-books,  but  based, 
in  great  part  upon  the  hymn-book  of  the  Bohemian  Bretheren.  It 
contains  917  hymns.22  la  1763  was  printed  the  "Marburg  Reformed 
Hymn-Book;"23  in  1786  the  earliest  original  collection  of  Lutheran 
hymns  in  this  country,  entitled  "Erbauliche  Liedersammlung ;" 
1788  "Liebliche  und  Erbauliche  Lieder,"  "Unparteysche  Lieder 
Sammlung,"  and  others  published  by  the  German  Baptist  Society;24 
1797  "Neues  und  vesbessertes  Gesangbuch"  printed  by  Stei tier  & 
Kammerer,  Phila.,  1799,  a  third  edition  of  the  Marburg  Lutheran 
Hymn  Book".25  The  total  number  of  editions  of  German  hymn- 
books  during  this  century  was  twenty- two,  but  besides  that  there  was 
a  German  hymn-book  translated  into  English  in  1795. 


18Dubbs,  p.  21. 
19Dubbs,  p.  25. 
20Dubbs,  p.  21. 
21Dubbs,  p.  21. 

21aA.  A.  Seipt.        "Schwenkfelder    Hymnology"    (Americana    Germanica 
vol.  7.) 

22Dubbs,  p.  16. 
23Dubbs,  p.  25. 
24Dubbs,  p.  21. 
25Dubbs,  p.  25. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  11 

CHAPTER  II. 
CHURCH  Music  AND  THE  MANNER  OF  ITS  PERFORMANCE. 

It  has  already  been  mentioned  that  there  were  many 
German  hymn-writers  in  Philadelphia  in  the  early  eighteenth 
century,  and  it  is  now  in  place  to  consider  what  was  the  quality  of 
the  music  in  the  German  churches  at  that  period,  and  whether 
musical  instruments  of  any  kind  were  used  in  the  Philadelphia 
churches. 

For  the  first  record  it  is  necessary  to  go  a  little"  beyond  Phila 
delphia  to  the  Hermits  of  the  Wissahickon.  To  this  people  un 
doubtedly  belongs  the  honor  of  first  using  instrumental  music 
in  religious  services.  Of  their  voyage  across  the  Atlantic,  Kelpius 
says: 

"We  had  also  prayer  meetings  and  sang  hymns  of  praise  and 
joy,  several  of  us  accompanying  on  instruments  that  we  had  brought 
from  London."26 

Evidently  the  instruments  which  they  brought  with  them 
were  not  satisfactory  or  were  regarded  as  inadequate  for  the 
worship  of  God,  as  Kelpius  in  a  letter  to  friends  in  London  asked 
that  two  clavichords  with  additional  strings  might  be  sent.27 

Again  the  Hermits  at  the  consecration  of  the  new  Swedish 
church — Gloria  Dei — July  2,  1700,  act  as  choristers  and  furnish 
instrumental  music.28 

The  first  German  minister  ordained  in  this  country  was 
Justus  Falckner,  who  was  consecrated  by  the  Swedish  Lutherans. 
In  a  letter  to  Rev.  Heinrich  Muhlen,  of  Holstein  (1701),  Falckner 
shows  that,  even  at  that  early  day,  music  was  considered  an  important 
adjunct  of  the  church  service.  He  says: 

"In  short  there  are  Germans  here,  and  perhaps  the  majority,  who 
despise  God's  Word  and  all  outward  good  order;  who  blaspheme  the 
sacraments  and  frightfully  and  publicly  give  scandal 


26Sachse,  German  Pietists,  p.  22;    Seidensticker ,  Geschichtsblaetter,  p.  100. 

27Seidensticker,  Geschichtsblaetter,  p.  100. 

28Sachse,  German  Pietists,  p.  144  (hereafter  quoted  as  G.  P.). 


12  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

"I  will  here  take  occasion  to  mention  that  many  others  besides 
myself,  who  know  the  ways  of  the  land,  maintain  that  music  would 
contribute  much  towards  a  good  Christian  service.  It  would  not 
only  attract  and  civilize  the  wild  Indians,  but  it  would  do  much  good 
in  spreading  the  Gospel  truths  among  the  sects  and  others  by  attract 
ing  them.  Instrumental  music  is  especially  serviceable  here.  Thus 
a  well-sounding  organ  would  perhaps  prove  of  great  profit,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  fact  that  the  Indians  would  come  running  from  far 
and  near  to  listen  to  such  unknown  melody,  and  upon  that  account 
might  become  willing  to  accept  our  language  and  teaching,  and  re 
main  with  people  who  had  such  agreeable  things;  for  they  are  said 
to  come  ever  so  far  to  listen  to  one  who  plays  even  a  reed-pipe  (rohr- 
pfeiffe) :  such  an  extraordinary  love  have  they  for  any  melodious 
and  ringing  sound.  Now  as  the  melancholy,  saturnine  stingy 
Quaker  spirit  has  abolished  (relegiert)  all  such  music,  it  would 
indeed  be  a  novelty  here,  and  tend  to  attract  many  of  the  young 
people  away  from  the  Quakers  and  sects  to  attend  services  where 
such  music  was  found,  even  against  the  wishes  of  their  parents.  This 
would  afford  a  good  opportunity  to  show  them  the  truth  and  their 
error. 

"If  such  an  organ-instrument  (Orgel-werck)  were  placed  in  the 
Swedish  church  ....  it  would  prove  of  great  service  to  this 
church. 

"If  there  were  music  in  the  church,  the  young  people  would 
consider  church-going  a  recreation. 

"The  Lord  of  Hosts  ....  would  be  praised  and  honored 
with  cymbal  and  organ. 

"And  it  may  be  assumed  that  even  a  small  organ-instrument 
and  music  in  this  place  would  be  acceptable  to  God,  and  prove  far 
more  useful  than  many  hundreds  in  Europe,  where  there  is  already 
a  superfluity  of  such  things. 

"There  are  in  Europe  masters  enough  who  would  build  such 
instruments,  and  a  fine  one  can  be  secured  for  300  or  400  thalers. 
Then  if  an  experienced  organist  and  musician  could  be  found,  and 
a  curious  one,  who  would  undertake  so  far  a  journey,  he  would  be 
very  welcome  here.  In  case  this  could  not  be,  if  we  only  had  an 
organ,  some  one  or  other  might  be  found  who  had  knowledge  there 
of."29 


29Cf.  The  Missive  of  Justus  Falckner  of  Germantown,  Concerning  the 
Religious  Condition  of  Pa.  in  the  Year  1701.  Translated  by  J.  F.  Sachse.  Found 
also  in  Pa.  Mag.  of  Hist.,  1897. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  13 

The  writer  of  this  missive  was  somewhat  of  a  poet  himself, 
and  composed  several  fine  hymns,  some  of  which  are  in  use  at 
the  present  day.30 

Whether  the  appeal  for  musical  instruments  was  of  avail, 
we  know  not,  but  in  the  Journal  of  Rev.  Andreas  Sandel  for  July  20, 
1702,  is  mentioned  one  Jonas,  organist  of  Gloria  Dei  church.  Again, 
on  November  24,  1703,  when  Falckner  was  ordained  in  this  church, 
Sachse  says: 

"The  service  was  opened  with  a  voluntary  on  the  little  organ  in 
the  gallery  by  Jonas  the  organist,  supplemented  with  instrumental 
music  by  the  Mystics  on  the  viol,  hautboy,  trumpets  (Posaunen)  and 
kettle  drums  (Pauken)"3i 

The  first  church  organ  in  Philadelphia,  then,  was  placed  in 
a  Swedish  Lutheran  church  largely  by  means  of  a  German.  Al 
though  the  merit  for  this  achievement  must  be  divided  between 
the  Germans  and  Swedes,  in  one  department  of  music — the  sing 
ing  of  hymns — the  Swedes  probably  were  pre-eminent.  In  1696 
Charles,  King  of  Sweden,  sent  to  the  church  at  Wicacoa,  one 
hundred  hymn  books,32  while  in  1712  another  lot,  consisting  of 
"360  hymn  books  of  three  sorts"  were  shipped.33  The  Swedes 
were  strict,  too,  in  the  regulations  of  the  church  services,  epecially 
of  singing.  In  1702,  Rev.  Andreas  Sandel  imposes  a  fine  "for 
untimely  singing,  six  schillings."34  Especially  interesting  is  the 
account  concerning  the  attempt  of  Pastor  Andreas  Hesselius,  of 
Christina,  Dlaware,  to  reform  church  singing  in  1713.  Acrelius  says: 

"He  had  special  regard  to  propriety  in  church-singing,  in  which 
there  was  often  such  discord  as  though  they  intended  to  call  their 


30Sasche,  Justus  Falckner,  pp.  20-21. 

31  Justus  Falckner,  p.  64;  also  G.  P.,  pp.  354-5.  Sachse  believes  this  organ 
was  one  brought  over  by  Kelpius. 

32Israel  Acrelius,  A  History  of  New  Sweden,  trans,  by  Wm.  Reynolds,  in 
Memoirs  of  Pa.  Hist.  Soc.,  Vol.  XI,  pp.  197,  366  (hereafter  quoted  as  Acrelius). 

33 Acrelius,  p.  367;  also  Andreas  Sandel' s  Diary,  in  Pa.  Mag.  Hist.  1906, 
p.  446. 

34 Acrelius,  p.  217. 


14  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

cows  to  the  church.  In  opposition  to  which  it  was  represented  that 
as  all  those  who  possessed  the  gift  of  praising  God  with  a  pleasing 
voice  in  psalms  and  hymns  should  not  stand  mute,  so,  on  the  other 
hand,  those  who  were  unfitted  for  this  should  not  with  their  harsh 
voices,  hinder  others  and  make  confusion,  but,  by  softly  singing  after 
the  others,  train  themselves  to  correct  singing.  During  the  singing, 
he  went  around  the  church  and  aided  where  they  failed."35 

It  is  very  probable  that  in  Philadelphia,  this  same  instruc 
tion  in  church  singing  prevailed,  since  Hesselius  was  for  some 
time  Provost,  and  had  a  right  to  command,  and  also,  because 
Samuel  Hesselius,  his  brother,  occupied  the  pulpit  at  Wicacoa 
and  could  more  easily  be  coerced — if  necessary — to  establish  this 
method  of  instruction. 

In  the  other  churches  of  Philadelphia,  organs  seem  to  have 
been  introduced  at  a  relatively  late  date.  On  September  2,  1728, 
a  committee  having  been  appointed  at  Christ  Church  "to  treat 
with  Mr.  Ivod.  C.  Sprogel,36  about  an  organ  lately  arrived  here, 
report  that  they  had  done  the  same,  and  that  he  insisted  on  .£200 
for  said  organ;  and  that  they  had  procured  men  of  the  best  skill 
this  place  could  afford  to  erect  the  said  organ  in  a  convenient 
house  iii  town,  to  make  trial  thereof;  which,  being  done,  it  is  said 
the  organ  proves  good  in  its  kind,  and  large  enough  for  our 
church."37  Upon  this  recommendation  the  organ  was  purchased. 
In  the  Moravian  church,  corner  of  Race  and  Broad  streets,  there 
were  two  organs  in  174338  one  of  which  was  sold  in  1796,  and 
a  new  one  built  by  David  Tannenberger39  In  this  same  year 
(1743)  the  Moravians  in  German  town  had  an  organ  costing  £60, 
but  in  1744  both  church  and  organ  reverted  to  the  German  Re- 


^Acrelius,  p.  276. 

36Ludovic  Christian  Sproegel  was  one  of  the  "Hermits  of  the  Wissahickon." 

3 'Quoted  from  the  Minutes  of  the  Vestry  of  Christ  Church,  by  Benj.  Dorr, 
History  of  Christ  Church,  p.  61. 

38Madeira,  Annals  of  Music  in  Philadelphia,  p.  24. 

39Madeira,  Annals  of  Music  in  Philadelphia,  p.  24  (hereafter  quoted  as 
Madeira). 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  15 

formed  Church.40  The  Catholic  church  had  an  organ  in  1750. 41 
These  are  the  earliest  known  organs  in  use  in  Philadelphia  churches. 
From  this  time  on,  the  other  churches  in  the  city  gradually  established 
them  as  an  aid  to  their  services. 

One  writer,  who  came  to  this  country  from  Germany,  evidently 
had  no  knowledge  of  these  organs  when  he  said : 

"I  came  to  this  country  with  the  first  organ  [1750]  which  now 
stands  in  a  High  German  Lutheran  church  in  the  city  of  Philadel 
phia,  and  which  was  built  in  Heilbronn.42 

In  the  face  of  the  evidence  already  produced,  it  is  needless 
to  say  that  this  statement  is  a  little  off  color,  to  say  the  least. 

There  were  then  in  Philadelphia  several  organs  before  1755, 
and  it  is  reasonable  to  assume  that  in  the  Moravian  church,  that 
"wind"  and  "string"  instruments  were  used,  since  we  find  this 
true  at  the  colony  in  Bethlehem.43  The  testimony  of  travellers 
of  that  time  or  of  members  of  other  churches  is  of  some  interest 
and  importance.  The  first  witness  is  William  Black,  secretary 
of  the  commission  appointed  by  the  Governor  of  Virginia  to 
unite  with  commissions  from  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania  for 
the  purpose  of  treating  with  the  Indians.  In  the  year  1744,  he 
resided  in  Philadelphia,  during  which  time  he  kept  a  journal 
of  interest  and  importance.  June  8  he  writes: 

"We  went  to  the  Moravian  Meeting,  where  I  had  the  pleasure 
to  hear  an  Excellent  Comment  on  that  Passage  in  Scripture  Relating 
to  the  Prodigal  Son,  and  after  some  very  agreeable  Church  Music, 
half  an  hour  after  9  they  broke  up."44 


^Minutes  and  Letters  of  the  Coetus  of  the  German  Reformed  Church,  p.  29. 

41Madeira,  p.  24. 

^Gottlieb  Mittclberger's  Journey  to  Penn.  in  the  Year  1750;  translated  by 
Carl  T.  Eben,  p.  114. 

43Wm.  Reichel,  Something  about  Trombones,  p.  4  ff.  See  also  the  state 
ment  concerning  Justus  Falckner's  ordination  as  quoted  above,  where  musical 
instruments  of  this  character  were  used. 

**Penn.  Mag.  of  History,  Vol.  II,  p.  43. 


16  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

This  testimony  is  not  without  its  value,  as  this  gentleman 
was  evidently  somewhat  of  a  musician  himself,  since  under  the 
same  date  in  his  diary  we  find : 

"I  Rose  from  my  Bed  and  pass'd  two  hours  in  writing,  the 
rest  of  the  time  till  Breakfast,  I  spent  with  my  Fiddle  and  Flute."45 

Concerning  the  music  in  the  Moravian  church  we  have  other 
evidence,  at  a  later  date.  John  Adams  remarks  in  his  diary  for 
October  23,  1774: 

"The  singing  here  [Methodist  meeting]  is  very  sweet  and  soft 
indeed;  the  first  music  I  have  heard  in  any  society  except  the 
Moravians,  and  once  at  church  with  the  organ."46 

He  also  remarks  September  4,  1774,  upon  ''the  organ  and 
a  new  choir  of  singers  at  Christ  Church,  which  were  very  musical."47 

Franklin,  in  1755,  speaks  of  hearing  Moravian  music  at 
Bethlehem,  and  praises  it  generously.48  A  year  earlier  Acrelius, 
who  visited  the  same  place,  gives  a  more  detailed  account  in  the 
following  words: 

"It  was  finally  agreed  that  we  should  sit  below  [in  the  audi 
torium  of  the  church],  as  the  music  sounded  better  there.  The 
organ  had  the  accompaniment  of  violins  and  flutes.  The  musicians 
were  back  in  the  gallery,  so  that  none  of  them  were  seen."  One  of 
the  ministers  "read  some  verses  of  a  German  hymn  book,  after  which 
they  were  sung  with  excellent  music."49 

Their  style  of  music  and  manner  of  performing  it  must 
have  been  exceptionally  good,  as  compared  with  the  music  of 
other  churches,  to  have  impressed  so  favorably  such  men,  who, 
we  may  be  sure,  were  quite  different.  There  is  the  sturdy  pastor 
Acrelius,  understanding  church  music  and  the  manner  of  its 
performance;  the  cordial,  genial  Ben  Franklin,  who  knew  some- 


^Penn.  Mag.  of  Hist.  Vol.  II,  p.  40.     - 

™John  Adams  Works,  Vol.  II,  pp.  401  and  364. 

47 John  Adams  Works,  Vol.  II,  pp.  401  and  364. 

48Franklin,  Autobiography,  p.  325  [Uppincott,  Phila.,  1868]. 

49Acrelius,  p.  413. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  17 

thing  about  music  from  living  in  London;  the  somewhat  cold 
but  highly  cultured,  John  Adams,  with  his  Puritan  traditions; 
then  the  gentleman  from  Virginia,  William  Black,  who  most 
probably  partook  of  the  nature  of  the  warm,  sunny- tempered 
Southerners,  himself  somewhat  of  a  musician.  Could  we  ask  for 
witnesses  more  unlike? 

To  the  Moravian  church  undoubtedly  belongs  the  palm  for 
music  during  the  eighteenth  century;  but  there  was  music,  and 
good  music,  in  some  other  churches  as  well.  We  have  already 
mentioned  the  music  in  Christ  Church  and  the  Methodist 
Church.  Concerning  the  music  in  the  German  Lutheran  Church, 
we  have  the  testimony  of  Daniel  Fisher,  who  writes  in  his  Diary 
for  May  25,  1755: 

"Went  to  the  Lutheran  Church,  a  neat  Brick  Building  where 
there  is  a  good  organ50  to  which  I  heard  them  sing  Psalms,  agree 
ably  enough."51 

Again  he  says: 

"The  Lutheran  Church  has  an  organ,  and  a  good  one."52 

There  were  organs  then  in  the  churches,  to  a  great  extent, 
before  1750.  The  question  now  arises:  Were  there  men  who 
could  repair  these  instruments  if  they  got  out  of  order?  By  the 
end  of  the  fifth  decade,  there  were  several  men  who  could 
not  only  repair  an  organ,  but  also  build  one.  Of  these  men  Gus- 
tavus  Hesselius  is  the  most  important,  as  he  was  the  first  spinet 
builder  in  America,  having  produced  specimens  as  early  as  1743,53 
and  probably  the  first  organ  builder  in  Pennsylvania.  It  is  claimed 
that  he  was  the  first  organ  builder  in  America,  and  in  support  of 
that  claim  an  organ  is  mentioned  as  built  by  him  for  the  Moravian 
Church  at  Bethlehem,  Pa.,  in  1746. 54  The  fact  is  lost  sight  of 


50The  organ  Mittelberger  brought  from  Heilbronn;   see  above. 

5lPenn.  Mag.  of  Hist.,  Vol.  XVII,  p.  267. 

*2Penn.  Mag.  of  Hist.,  Vol.  XVII,  p.  272. 

53Penn.  Mag.  of  Hist.,  XVI,  p.  473  (note) 

54Penn.  Mag.  of  Hist.,  Vol.  XXIX,  p.  131  ff ;  also  Reichel,  p.  4. 


18  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

that  a  Boston  man,  Edward  Bromfield,  generally  regarded  as 
the  first  organ  builder,  constructed  an  instrument  in  1745. 55 
However  Hesselius  was  undoubtedly  the  first  man  who  built  many 
church  organs. 

Still  another  claimant  appears  for  this  title — no  less  a  man 
than  the  Englishman,  Doctor  Christopher  Witt  (1675-1765), 
another  hermit  of  the  Wissahickon.  Doctor  Witt  possessed  a 
large  pipe-organ  presumably  made  by  him  alone,  but  possibly 
aided  by  other  Hermits.  It  was  built  at  least  while  he  was  living 
with  the  settlement  on  the  Wissakickon,  and  as  he  left  that  society 
shortly  after  the  death  of  Kelpius,56  which  took  place  about 
1708, 57  the  evidence  is  in  his  favor.  This  organ  at  his  death  was 
valued  at  ^40. 58 

Hesselius  was  not  only  a  musician,  but  a  painter  as  well.  He 
died  in  1755. 5<J  Connected  with  Hesselius  in  1746  was  John  G. 
Klemm,  a  native  of  Dresden,  Germany.  Three  years  later  David 
Tannenberger  arrived  in  Philadelphia,  a  man  whom  many  of  his 
contemporaries  conceded  to  be  the  greatest  organ  builder  in 
America,  but,  as  is  usually  the  case,  there  is  another  claimant  for 
this  high  honor,  as  will  be  seen  later. 

David  Tannenberger 59a  was  born  March  21, 1728,  in  Berthelsdorf , 
Saxony.  He  was  evidently  an  all-round  musician,  and  could 
play,  sing — he  possessed  a  good  voice — build,  or  repair  an  organ 
as  occasion  presented  itself.  It  is  known  that  he  built  at  least 
fourteen  organs  during  his  stay  in  Pennsylvania,  while  no  record 
of  the  number  of  spinets,  which  he  made  and  sold  for  ^22.10^, 
has  been  discovered. 

As  to  Tannenberger's  reputation  as  an  organ  builder,  we 
have  the  testimony  of  a  man  who  probably  knew  Tannenberger: 

"Tannenberg  belongs  to  history  as  the  organ  builder  of  his  day 
and  one  of  renown.  He  too,  was  of  the  German  school.  Fancy 


55L.  Elson,  History  of  American  Music,  p.  43. 

^German  Pietists,  pp.  403,  412. 

^German  Pietists,  p.  192. 

^German  Pietists,  p.  418  (note). 

5gPenn.  Mag.  of  Hist.,  Vol.  XII,  p.  503  (note). 

59aSpelled  also  Tannenberg. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  19 

stops  were  not  generally  in  vogue,  except  the  trumpet  in  the  great 
organ,  and  the  vox  humana  in  the  swell,  of  which  latter  there  was 
but  one  in  the  city,  and  that  was  in  Christ  Church,  and  to  my  young 
ear,  a  good  imitation  of  the  human  voice. 

"There  are  several  of  Tannenberg's  organs  yet  in  breathing 
existence  [1857].  Lancaster,  Litiz,  and  Nazareth  still  hold  his 
memory  in  audible  and  respectful  tones;  and  much  of  his  work  is 
worthy  of  imitation.  His  diapasons  were  particularly  dignified, 
whilst  his  upper  work,  12th,  15th,  and  sesquialtera,  gave  brilliancy  to 
the  whole."80 

This  testimony  of  Abraham  Ritter,  an  organist  of  good 
standing  in  the  Moravian  Church,  gives  some  idea  of  the  excel 
lence  of  the  work  and  of  the  reputation  which  Tannenberger  still 
had  in  the  nineteenth  century. 

In  a  letter  written  from  Lancaster,  Dec.  24,  1770,  the  following 
testimony  is  added: 

"Yesterday  we  had  the  pleasure  of  hearing,  for  the  first  Time, 
the  new  Organ,  in  the  High  Dutch  Reformed  church  of  this  Place, 
accompanied  with  a  variety  of  vocal  Music,  composed  on  the  Occasion 
which  I  may  venture  to  say,  not  only  from  my  own  Experience,  but 
the  Approbation  of  all  present,  was  never  equalled  in  any  Place  of 
Worship  in  this  Province,  or  perhaps  upon  this  Continent.  The 
Organ  was  made  by  Mr.  David  Tannenberg,  of  I/itiz,  a  Moravian 
Town  not  far  from  this  Place;  and  I  dare  venture  to  assert,  is  much 
superior  in  Workmanship  and  Sweetness  of  Sound,  to  any  made  by 
the  late  celebrated  Mr.  Keyring,  who  was  so  justly  taken  notice  of 
for  his  Ingenuity;  does  great  Honour  to  the  Maker;  is  worth  the 
Attention  and  Notice  of  the  Curious,  who  may  happen  to  pass  this 
way;  and  will  undoubtedly  recommend  him  to  all  who  are  desirious 
of  having  Works  of  that  Nature."61 

In  spite  of  his  reputation  as  an  organ-builder,  we  learn  that  in 
1790  he  was  a  bankrupt.62  He  died  May  19,  1804,  stricken  by 
paralysis  while  tuning  an  organ  at  York,  Pa.63 


60Abraham  Ritter,  Hist,  of  the  Moravian  Church  in  Phila.  (1857),  p.  59  ff. 
(note) 

61Pa.  Gaz.  Jan.  10,  1771. 

^General  Adv.  Oct.  28,  1790. 

63Penn.  Mag.  of  Hist.,  Vol.  XXII,  p.  231  ff . 


20  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelpdia. 

We  have  already  spoken  of  Gottlieb  Mittelberger  and  his 
organ,  and,  although  we  cannot  depend  upon  his  statements,  there 
may  be  some  truth  in  his  somewhat  exaggerated  account  of  the 
dedication  of  his  organ.  It  is  at  least  interesting,  and  shows  that 
the  people  as  a  whole  were  certainly  not  prejudiced  against  music. 
He  says : 

"After  this  work  had  been  set  up  and  tuned  it  was  conse 
crated  with  great  rejoicing  and  delivered  to  the  Christian  St. 
Michael's  Church  for  the  praise  and  service  of  God. 

"The  crowd  of  hearers  was  indescribably  large;  many  people 
came  from  a  great  distance,  10,  20,  30,  40  and  even  50  hours'  journey, 
to  see  and  hear  this  organ.  The  number  of  hearers,  who  stood 
inside  and  outside  the  church,  both  German  and  English,  were 
estimated  at  several  thousands.  I  was  appointed  school-master  and 
organist.  As  I  became  more  and  more  known  in  Pennsylvania,  and 
the  people  learned  that  I  had  brought  fine  and  good  instruments 
with  me,  many  English  and  German  families  came  10,  20  and  30 
hours'  journey  to  hear  them  and  the  organ,  and  they  were  greatly 
surprised  because  they  had  never  in  all  their  lives  seen  or  heard  an 
organ  or  any  of  those  instruments.64 

"At  the  present  time  [1754]  there  are  6  organs  in  Pennsylvania 
—the  first  is  in  Philadelphia,  the  2nd  in  Germantown,  the  3rd  in 
Providence,  the  4th  in  New  Hanover,  the  5th  in  Dulpehocken,  all 
of  them  came  to  this  country  during  the  four  years  of  my  sojourn 
there."65 

This  statement  concerning  the  number  of  organs  in  Phila 
delphia  cannot  be  true,  as  we  have  shown  above  that  there  were 
several.  In  his  list  of  the  organs  in  Pennsylvania,  he  neglects 
to  mention  the  one  made  for  the  Moravian  Church  at  Bethlehem 
in  1746.66  The  number  of  people  which  he  claims  was  present 
at  the  dedication  is  probably  exaggerated,  and,  as  Mittelberger 
was  the  chief  performer,  we  can  pardon  him  this  slip  of  the  pen. 


64This  statement  is  utterly  false,  as  it  will  be  shown  later  that  there  were 
musical  instruments  in  Philadelphia  long  before  this  time,  and  even  concerts 
in  1740. 

^Mittelberger's  Journey  to  Penn.,  p.  114. 

66Cf.  above,  p.  17. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  21 

It  is  probable,  however,  that  there  was  a  large  number  of  people 
present,  as  there  would  be  at  any  new  event  entering  into  their 
narrow  lives — especially  as  there  was  no  charge  for  admission. 

In  1762  a  new  organ  was  built  in  Philadelphia  by  Philip 
Keyring  for  St.  Paul's  Church.  He  is  the  other  claimant  to  the 
honor  of  being  the  greatest  organ  builder  of  his  day.67  One  of 
the  newspapers  was  evidently  partial  to  him,  since  it  gives  this 
notice. 

"The  New  Organ,  which  is  putting  up  in  St.  Paul's  Church  in 
this  City,  will  be  in  such  Forwardness  as  to  be  used  in  Divine  Service 
on  Christmas  Day.  It  is  of  a  new  Construction,  and  made  by  Mr. 
Philip  Keyring,68  Musical  Instrument- Maker,  in  this  City,  who  may, 
with  Justice,  be  said  to  be  the  best  Hand  at  that  ingenious  Business 
on  the  Continent."69 

The  organ  was  evidently  in  use  on  Christmas  day  and  must  have 
proven  satisfactory  to  call  forth  the  following  poem  lauding  both 
Keyring  and  his  organ. 

"On  hearing  the  Organ  at  St.  Paul's  Church,  on  Christmas 
Day,  1762. 

"Hail  Heav'n-born  Science!  whose  enlivening  Touch, 

Thro'  Nature  felt,  makes  all  her  Powers  rejoice, 

And  fills  the  Soul  with  Harmony,  and  Bliss 

Bxtatic — When  Joy  tumultuous  revels 

In  the  swelling  Breast,  then  thou,  sweet  Music, 

Majestically  smooth,  and  soft  as  Zephyrs, 

The  Voice  assuasive  to  the  Heart  applyst. 

"If  jarring  Passions,  like  disgorging  Etna, 
Wage  War  intestine,  and  with  Rage  destroy 
Then  Mother  Nature,  instant  at  thy  call 
They  lose  their  Kury ,  and  subside  in  Peace : — 
A  sov'reign  Balm  thou  pour'st  into  the  Wounds 
Of  bleeding  Love,  and  sooth 'st  the  Heart-felt  Pain. 


87Cf.  above,  p.  18. 
68Spelled  also  Keyring. 
89  Pa.  Gaz.,  Dec.  23,  1762. 


22  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

And  thou,  majestic  Organ!  taught  by  thee, 

We  raise  our  Thoughts  on  Fancy's  Wing, 

Soaring  beyond  the  darksome  veil  of  Time 

Up  to  the  empyreal  Heav'n,  where  God-head  habits, 

High  thron'd  above  all  Height,  encircl'd  round 

By  Seraphims,   whose  well  instructed  choirs 

To  pleasing  Numbers  tune  their  Harps  of  Gold — 

"Surely  if  ought  of  Heav'n  on  Earth  we  taste, 
'Tis  when  we  join  in  holy  Acclamation 
With  deep  ton'd  Organ,  to  rehearse  the  Praise 
Of  God  Omnipotent,  who  rules  the  Heav'ns; 
When  ev'ry  swelling  Note  bears  us  enraptur'd 
To  the  blest  Abodes  of  Saints  imparadis'd. 

"When  God  his  six  Days  Work,  a  world  had  finishd 

Attended  by  a  Band  of  heav'nly  Music, 

The  Harp  symphonious,  and  the  solemn  Pipe 

The  Dulcimer,  all  Organs  of  sweet  Stop, 

Along  the  starry  Pavement  up  he  rode; 

While  instant  Nature  heard  the  Song  harmonious, 

And  listening  Planets  ceas'd  to  fill  their  Orbs. 

"While  Harmony  divine  knows  to  controul 

The  boistrous  Passions  of  the  human  Soul, 

Whilst  Organ's  dulcet  Notes  the  Breast  inspire. 

With  true  Devotion,  and  a  sacred  Fire; 

Thy  name  O  Fyring  thy  deserving  Name 

Shall  shine  conspicuous  in  the  Roll  of  Fame; 

Ages  to  come,  and  Men  in  future  Days 

Shall  greateful  pay  their  Tribute  to  thy  Praise.  C.  W.  P. 

"Mr.  Fyring  is  a  German  by  Birth,  but  has  for  some  years  past, 
practic'd  the  making  of  Musical  Instruments  (particularly  Spinets 
and  Harpsichords)  in  this  City,  with  great  Repute." 70 

This  effusion  explains  itself.  His  workmanship  must  have 
been  of  superior  quality,  as  it  was  seldom  that  a  musician  at  that 
time — or  even  at  the  present  day  was  much  noticed,  let  alone 
publishing  a  poem  about  him. 


70Pa.  Gaz.,  Dec.  30,  1762. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  23 

How  many  instruments  were  sold  by  these  organmakers  it 
would  be  difficult  to  say,  although  undoubtedly  parlor  organs  were 
found  in  many  houses.  There  are  advertisements  of  two  organs 
for  sale  among  a  list  of  household  goods  before  the  end  of  1750: 
A  "small"  organ  belonging  to  Benj.  Morgan,  1748, 71  and  a  "large" 
one,  the  property  of  the  late  Peter  Kook,  in  1750. 72 

Religious  music  in  this  half  century  was  flourishing,  and 
was  considered  a  valuable  adjunct  of  the  church  service,  not  only 
in  German  churches,  but  also  in  the  Swedish  and  English 
churches.  The  composition  of  hymns  up  to  this  time  seems  to 
have  been  confined  to  the  Germans. 


71Pa.  Journal,  July  7,  1748. 
72Pa.  Journal,  Jan.  2,  1750. 


24  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 


CHAPTER  III. 
SECULAR  Music. 

From  the  preceding  chapter  it  has  been  clearly  seen,  that  the 
Germans  in  Philadelphia,  and  indeed  in  the  whole  State,  were 
strongly  religious,  and  were  celebrated  for  their  church  music 
and  instrument  makers,  especially  for  their  organ  builders. 

Were  all  the  people  in  Philadelphia  as  religious  as  the  Ger 
mans  and  Quakers  seem  to  have  been,  and  were  there  no  public 
amusements?  This  is  an  important  question,  and  one  not  easily 
answered,  especially  during  the  first  half  of  the  eighteenth  cen 
tury.  It  may  be  thought  that  this  question  is  not  related  to  Ger 
man  music,  but  indirectly  it  is,  so  that  it  may  be  shown  whether 
or  not  the  people  of  Philadelphia  were  ready  to  welcome  music, 
whether  they  were  in  a  state  of  mind  favorable  to  the  introduc 
tion  of  any  amusements.  It  is  necessary  to  establish  these  facts 
before  we  can  clearly  understand  the  reasons  and  cause  for  the 
introduction  of  German  concert  music  into  America. 

We  know,  that  in  Philadelphia  during  the  eighteenth  cen 
tury,  there  were  men  of  every  creed  and  religion,  of  every  walk 
of  life,  of  many  different  nationalities,  and  we  may  be  sure  that 
in  such  a  conglomeration  of  men  and  ideas  there  would  be  some 
to  whom  amusements  would  be  necessary — even  amusements 
which  strait-laced  people  would  condemn.  The  information  there 
is  upon  this  subject  supports  the  opinion,  that  there  were  amuse 
ments  even  in  the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century.  Foremost 
among  the  pleasures  in  which  the  inhabitants  of  Philadelphia 
indulged,  was  dancing,  and  we  have  reference  to  this  art  at  an 
early  period.  In  a  book  written  in  1710  is  the  following  state 
ment: 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  25 

"Among  the  rest  of  my  Friends,  I  must  not  forget  the  facetious 
Mr.  Staples,  Dancing-Master,  who  was  the  first  Stranger  of  Phila 
delphia  that  did  me  the  Honour  of  a  Visit."73 

As  early  as  1716  we  find  this  record: 

"At  the  Yearly  Meeting  of  the  Friends,  members  were  ad 
vised  against  'going  to  or  being  in  any  way  concerned  in  plays, 
games,  lotteries,  music  and  dancing.'"74 

Throughout  the  first  half  of  the  eighteenth  century  dancing 
was  evidently  held  in  due  respect  by  a  certain  element  of  the  popu 
lation.  In  1728  it  forms  a  part  of  the  curriculum  of  a  boarding 
school.75  In  1730  dancing  is  taught  by  Thomas  Ball's  sister.76 
The  first  really  fashionable  ball  was  probably  that  given  by  Gov 
ernor  Gordon,  in  1726,  in  honor  of  the  Prince  of  Wales'  birth 
day.77  To  some  extent,  too,  music  and  dancing  were  surely  a 
part  of  the  marriage  festivities,  as  the  following  item  shows: 

"We  hear  that  Tuesday  night  last,  a  young  Dutchman  was 
married  to  an  old  Dutchwoman,  who  was  known  to  have  money. 
They  had  a  fiddle  at  the  Wedding.  .  .  .  She  danc'd  till  it 
was  late."78 

We  find  ministers  of  different  denominations  complaining  of 
the  irreligion  of  some  of  the  inhabitants.  As  one  writer  remarks: 

"We  live  in  an  age,  when  'tis  counted  almost  a  scandal  to  be 
a  Christian.  Religion  is  stil'd  Preciseness  and  Hypocrisy,  and  a 
strict  Conformity  to  Truth  and  Virtue  is  imputed  to  be  the  Effect 
of  Melancholy,  a  Distemper'd  Imagination.  We  daily  hear  the 
greatest  Mysteries  of  our  Faith  Ridicul'd  and  Banter'd,  the  Clergy 


73Hart,  American  History  told  by  Contemporaries  II,  p.  77,  quoted  from 
"The  Voyage,  Shiprack  and  Miraculous  Escape  of  Richard  Cattleman,  Gent," 
appended  to  "The  Voyages  and  Adventures  of  Capt.  Robert  Boyle"  London,  1726, 
4th  Ed.  1786,  p.  331. 

74Scharf  &  Wescott,  History  of  Phila.,  Vol.  II,  p.  863. 

^American  Weekly  Mercury,  March  5-14,  172$. 

76Pa.  Gazette,  March  5-13,  1729-30. 

77Scharf  &  Wescott,  Hist,  of  Phita.,  Vol.  I,  p.  203. 

78Pa.  Gaz.,  March  15  to  22,  1738-9. 


26  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

Despis'd,  Expos'd  and  Degraded;  and  that  even  by  Men,  who  have 
not  yet  Publickly  Renounc'd  Christianity;  but  such  as  would  be 
thought  to  have  clearer  Heads,  and  more  refin'd  Conceptions  of 
Things  than  their  Brethren,  those  Men  to  their  Shame  stand  Pelting 
Religion  at  a  distance,  with  little  Scoffs  and  Jests,  when  there  is 
a  more  Fair  and  Honourable  way  of  deciding  the  Matter,  by  rational 
and  undeniable  Arguments."79 

In  opposition  to  this  we  have  the  testimony  of  Benjamin 
Franklin,  who  writes: 

"Our  people,  having  no  publick  amusements  to  divert  their 
attention  from  study,  became  better  acquainted  with  books."80 

So,  too,  a  correspondent  in  the  Weekly  Mercury  writes: 

"Here  are  no  Masquerades,  Plays,  Balls,  Midnight  Revellings, 
or  Assemblies  to  Debauch  the  Mind  or  promote  Intrigue."81 

When,  however,  we  read  an  advertisement  in  the  same  paper 
about  a  month  later  like  the  following,  we  may  be  permitted  to 
doubt  somewhat  the  statements  of  the  last  two  men. 

"The  Art  of  Dancing  Carefully  Taught  (as  it  is  now  Practic'd 
at  Court)  by  Samuel  Perpoint,  at  his  School.  .  .  .  where  for 
the  Recreation  of  all  Gentlemen  and  Ladies:  There  will  be  Country 
Dances  every  Thursday  Evening',  likewise  he  teaches  small  Sword."82 

From  this  time  on,  we  notice  the  advertisements  of  various 
dancing  masters,  who,  often  were  school  masters  at  the  same  time. 
Not  only  did  these  Philadelphians  enjoy  dancing,  but  they  were 
partial  to  late  suppers  and  card  playing  as  well, — playing  cards 
was  a  staple  article  of  importation  after  1736.83  Another  favor 
ite  amusement,  we  may  be  sure,  was  playing  on  the  Jew's  harp, 
for  after  1733,  this  instrument  frequently  is  advertised.84  The 


79 'American  Weekly  Mercury,  June  19-26,  1729  [a  correspondent]. 

80 'Autobiography,  p.  207. 

^American  Weekly  Mercury,  June  19-26,  1729. 

^American  Weekly  Mercury,  July  31  to  August  7,  1729. 

^American  Weekly  Mercury,  February  8,  1736  [first  advertised]. 

^American  Weekly  Mercury,  March  2,  1733  [first  advertised]. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  27 

Jew's  harp  must  have  been  considered  a  harmless  instrument  by 
all  sects,  for  as  early  as  1675  in  one  State  of  Puritan  New  Eng 
land  it  is  stated  that  a  law  was  enacted,  "that  no  one  should  play 
on  any  kind  of  music  except  the  drum,  the  trumpet  and  the  jew- 
sharp."85 

Besides  the  amusements  already  mentioned,  the  Philadel- 
phians  had  an  opportunity  to  see  a  rope-dancer  in  1724, 86  "Punch 
and  Joan  his  Wife,"87  "Magick  Lan  thorn'"  exhibition,88  "Camera 
Obscura  and  Microscope/'89  a  musical  clock  with  a  man  and  woman 
appearing  as  mountebanks.90 

Music  was  evidently  popular  at  society  meetings,  banquets, 
etc.  Perhaps  there  was  nothing  more  than  singing,  but  possibly 
a  violin  and  spinet  helped  to  while  away  the  time.  For  instance, 
in  1731  at  the  celebration  of  "St.  David's  Day,"  by  the  "Society 
of  Ancient  Britons,"  the  evening  ended  with  "Musick,  Mirth  and 
Friendship."81 

In  the  two  items  which  will  be  given  now,  may  be  detected, 
perhaps,  the  incipient  germs  of  musical  criticism,  or  at  least  the 
idea,  which  most  people  probably  had  of  what  a  professor  of  music 
should  know  and  be  able  to  do: 

"Elocution  is  not  unlike  Musick;  there  is  scarce  a  Soul  so  rustick 
as  not  to  admire  both  in  their  Excellency,  altho'  the  Masters  of 
those  Sciences  may  lose  their  proper  Share  of  the  Praise.  He  that 
having  laid  before  him  the  several  Parts  of  a  Musical  Instrument, 
can  Unite  them  in  their  Places,  and  tune  them  to  Harmony,  merits 
the  appelation  of  a  Master  in  Musick  and  should  be  distinguished  as 
such,  as  he  that  disposes  Words  into  grammatical  sentences,  and 
eloquent  Periods,  is  a  Master  of  Language."92 


^Perkins  &  D wight,  History  of  Haendel  &  Haydn  Society,  p.  17  (note). 

86Scharf  &  Wescott,  Vol.  II,  p.  863. 

87Po.  Gaz.,  Dec.  30,  1742. 

88Pa.  Gaz.,  Jan.  27,  1743. 

89Pa.  Gaz.,  July  2,  1744. 

90Pa.  Gaz.,  May  31,  1744. 

81  Pa.  Gaz.,  Feb.  23  to  March  4,  1730-31. 

82  American  Weekly  Mercury,  Aug.  7-14,  1729. 


28  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

This  quotation  may  argue  for  the  popularity  and  respect  in 
which  music  was  held  at  that  time  by  at  least  some  of  the  people. 
We  find  in  this  crude  statement,  that  music  was  thought  worthy 
of  a  position  by  the  side  of  elocution,  which  has  always  held  a  high 
place  in  the  minds  of  every  people,  and  so  we  may  be  safe  in  be 
lieving  that  music  had  a  place,  and  an  important  place,  in  Philadel 
phia,  in  the  early  history  of  that  city. 

Another  correspondent  states  that: 

"Women,  like  Instruments  of  Musick,  require  to  be  long  used 
before  their  Sweetness  or  Discord  are  certainly  discovered."93 

Unless  the  writer  of  the  above  knew  something  about  music, 
and  unless  music  was  an  object  of  interest  or  pleasure,  so  that 
this  comparison  would  be  appreciated,  he  would  not  likely  have 
ventured  to  use  such  a  simile. 

In  1733  there  is  a  record  of  a  "ball"94  while,  in  the  next  year 
under  the  heading  "London  news,"  there  is  a  notice  concerning 
the  marriage  of  the  Princess  Royal  to  the  Prince  of  Orange,  which 
gives  the  following  information : 

"A  fine  anthem  composed  by  Mr.  Handell  was  perform'd  by  a 
great  Number  of  Voices  and  Instruments."95 

This  latter  item  proves  nothing  except  that  the  name  of  Handel 
was  introduced  into  the  colonies  at  an  early  date,  and  may  have 
remained  in  the  memories  of  some  of  the  people,  since  he  was  con 
nected  with  such  an  important  event.  This  may  possibly  have 
helped  to  increase  the  popularity  which  his  works,  later  in  the 
century,  attained  in  America. 

It  has  been  seen  that  there  was  music  and  dancing  at  this 
time,  and  it  is  now  interesting  to  learn  what  kind  of  musical 
instruments  were  used.  It  has  been  shown  already,  that  there 


^American  Weekly  Mercury,  Sept.  10-17,  1730. 
94 American  Weekly  Mercury,  Nov.  11,  1733. 
95  American  Weekly  Mercury,  May  23,  1734. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  29 

were  Jew's  harps,96  that  Kelpius  had  clavichords,97  and  assuredly 
there  were  some  virginals,  although  probably  few.  In  the  fifth 
decade  the  various  instrument  makers  mentioned  above,98  probably 
had  quite  a  number  of  customers. 

In  1729  Andrew  Bradford,  proprietor  of  the  American  Weekly 
Mercury,  advertises : 

"A  well-strung  Virginal  to  be  sold;  being  in  good  Order.  En 
quire  of  Printer  hereof."99 

Dr.  Christopher  Witt,  referred  to  before,100  was  a  capable 
player  on  the  virginal,101  which  at  his  death  was  appraised  at  £1, 
15s.  ;102  while  a  virginal  belonging  to  the  "Hermits"  reverted  to  the 
widow  of  Magister  Zimmerman.103 

The  people  who  owned  instruments  of  this  kind  had  an 
opportunity  to  learn  to  play,  since  in  1730  a  woman — the  first 
music  teacher  in  Philadelphia — makes  an  announcement  in  the 
newspaper  as  follows: 

[Thomas  Ball's]  "Wife  teaches  Writing  and  French.  Like 
wise  Singing,  Playing  on  the  Spinet,  Dancing  and  all  sorts  of 
Needle- Work  are  taught  by  his  Sister  lately  arrived  from  London." 104 

What  class  of  music  she  and  her  pupils  played,  it  would  be 
hard  to  say,  but  it  did  not  cause  anyone  to  start  a  music  store, 
and  it  is  not  until  1739  that  any  great  musical  works  are  adver 
tised  at  the  office  of  the  man  of  many  parts,  Benjamin  Franklin. 
The  following  pieces  were  to  be  obtained  there :  "Corelli's  Sonatas, 
Geminiani's  Concertos,  Ditto's  Solos."105 


QQVide  above,  p.  26. 

97 'Vide  above,  p.  11. 

98Vtde  above,  p.  17  ff. 

"American  Weekly  Mercury,  March  4-13,  1728-9. 

100See  above  p.  18. 

lolGerman  Pietists,  p.  412. 

102German  Pietists,  p.  418  (note). 

103 Justus  Falckner,  p.  64  (note). 

104Pa.  Gaz.,  July  2-9,  1730. 

105Pa.  Gaz.,  June  15-22,  1738-9. 


30  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

Besides  spinets  and  virginals  there  were  probably  violins, 
German  flutes,  trumpets,  drums,  a  few  viols,  etc.  For  instance, 
in  1749  Anthony  Lamb,  of  New  York,  advertises  among  other 
things:  "German  Flutes,"106  while  other  men  advertise,  in  1750, 
"Hunting  Pipes,"  107  and  "fiddle  strings,"108  From  1744  on  num 
erous  advertisements  of  drums  appear. 

Before  1740  there  is  no  record  of  any  kind  of  musical  organi 
zation,  but  in  this  year  there  was  such  a  society.  During  this 
year  the  evangelist,  Whitefield,  visited  Philadelphia  and  made 
a  strong  impression  upon  people  of  all  beliefs.  One  of  his 
disciples  caused  this  to  be  printed: 

"Since  Mr.  Whitefield's  Preaching  here,  the  Dancing  school, 
Assembly,  and  Concert  Room  have  been  shut  up,  as  inconsistent 
with  the  Doctrine  of  the  Gospel:  and  though  the  Gentlemen  con- 
cern'd  caus'd  the  Door  to  be  broke  open  again,  we  are  inform'd  that 
no  Company  came  to  the  last  Assembly  night." 109 

One  of  the  members,  however,  denied  the  charge  that  dances 
were  inconsistent  with  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  and  affirmed 
that  the  hall  was  closed  up  by  William  Seward,  an  "Attendant 
and  intimate  Companion"  of  Whitefield.  This  same  writer  speaks 
of  "Members  of  the  Concert"  and  the  rooms  belonging  to  them. 
He  also  says  that  the  members  "met  the  Night  after  according  to 
Custom;  and  the  Thursday  following  the  Company  met  to  Dance 
as  they  used  to  do;  but  the  Assembly  being  only  for  the  Winter 
Season  is  now  discontinued  of  Course  and  the  Concert  being  for  the 
whole  Year  still  goes  on  as  usual."110 

This  is  interesting,  as  it  is  the  first  record  of  concerts,  and 
also,  because  these  concerts,  continued  the  whole  year,  not  merely 
during  the  winter  months  as  nowadays.  There  were  "Members 
of  the  Concert,"  too,  who  rented  or  owned  rooms.  There  must 


106Pa.  Gaz.,  Jan.  31,  1749. 

107Pa.  Journal,  Jan.  9,  1750. 

108Pa.  Jour,  and  also  Pa.  Gaz,  May  24,  1750. 

109P.  Gazette,  May  1,  1740. 

110Pa.  Gaz.,  May  8,  1740. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  31 

then  have  been  some  kind  of  a  club  or  society,  which  gave  these 
performances. 

These  concerts  must  either  have  been  kept  up  for  years,  or 
new  series  instituted  year  by  year,  since  our  friend  William  Black 
(already  quoted)  says  in  his  diary  of  1744,  June  5: 

"At  8  O'Clock  went  to  hear  a  Concert  of  Musick;  the  Per 
formers  was  some  Town's  Gentlemen,  and  did  Us  the  Honour  of  an 
Invitation,  we  staid  till  past  11,  and  I  left  the  Company  to  go  home 
to  my  lodgings."111 

It  is  important  to  observe,  that  William  Black  says  he  had 
the  "Honour"  to  be  invited  to  a  concert.  One  might  say  that  this 
word  was  simply  a  common  expression.  It  probably  was,  and  still 
is;  but  we  believe  a  man  would  hardly  write  such  an  expression 
in  his  diary,  unless  he  really  thought  he  was  honored.  It  seems 
probable  that  this  concert  and  those  of  1740  must  have  been  very 
exclusive  and  were  not  public  entertainments,  which  anyone  might 
attend . 

There  was  exhibited  this  same  year  (1744)  a  curiosity, 
which  would  attract  a  large  crowd  of  people.  This  was  no  less 
than : 

"The  Unparallelled  Musical  Clock,  made  by  that  great  Master 
of  Machinery,  David  Lockwood.  It  excels  all  others  in  the  Beauty 
of  its  Structure  and  plays  the  choicest  Airs  from  the  most  cele 
brated  Operas  with  the  greatest  Nicety  and  Exactness.  It  per 
forms  with  beautiful  graces,  ingeniously  and  variously  intermixed, 
the  French  Horn,  Pieces,  perform'd  upon  the  Organ,  German  and 
Common  Flute,  Flageolet,  etc.,  Sonata's,  Concerto's,  Marches,  Minu- 
etts,  Jiggs  and  Scots  Airs,  composed  by  Corelli,  Alberoni,  Mr.  Handel 
and  other  great  and  eminent  Masters  of  Musick."112 

This  is  the  first  public  record  we  have,  that  works  of  such 
famous  composers  were  played,  and  they  must  have  become 
familiar,  in  a  short  time  to  a  great  number  of  inhabitants. 


niPenn.  Mag.  of  Hist.,  Vol.  I,  p.  416. 
112Po.  Gaz.,  July  12,  1744. 


32  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Miss  Ball's  capabilities  in  the 
province  of  music  were  confined  to  but  two  branches,  voice  and 
spinet.  In  1749,  however,  appears  a  truly  musical  genius,  if  we 
may  judge  by  the  number  of  instruments  which  he  played.  This 
man  was,  as  we  learn  from  the  following: 

"John  Beals,  Musick  Master  from  London  [who]  at  his  House 
in  Fourth  Street,  near  Chestnut  Street,  joining  to  Mr.  Linton's,  collar 
maker,  teaches  the  Violin,  Hautboy,  German  Flute,  Common  Flute 
and  Dulcimer  by  Note. 

"Said  Beals  will  likewise  attend  young  ladies,  or  others,  that 
m  ay  desire  it,  at  their  houses.  He  likewise  provides  musick  for  balls 
or  other  entertainments."113 

Here  was  an  opportunity  for  the  inhabitants  of  the  Quaker 
City  to  improve  their  time  by  learning  music,  and  as  the  variety 
of  instruments  from  which  they  might  choose,  was  large,  no  doubt 
some  of  them  became  proficient  musicians. 

This  same  year  saw  the  beginnings  of  drama  and  opera  in 
Philadelphia,  given  by  the  English  actors,  Murray  and  Kean.114 
These  dramatic  performances  were  soon  discontinued  on  account 
of  the  opposition  of  the  public.  From  now  until  the  latter  part 
of  the  sixth  decade  of  the  eighteenth  century  there  were  desultory 
attempts  to  give  dramas,  but  not  until  1759  did  the  theatre  prove 
successful  and  become  permanent. 

There  was  then  in  this  decade  an  incipient  appreciation  of 
drama  to  which  some  music  was  oftentimes  joined.  What  other 
music  was  there  at  this  time?  In  1750-4  Mittelberger  says : 

"The  cultivation  of  music  is  rather  rare  as  yet.  .  .  .  Some 
Englishmen  give  occasional  concerts  in  private  houses  with  a  spinet 
or  harpsichord."115 

Mittelberger 's  statement  concerning  the  cultivation  of 
music  is  not  quite  true.  Music  undoubtedly  was  studied  a  great 


113Pa.  Gaz.,  March  21,  1749. 
114Madeira,  Annals  of  Music,  p.  29. 
115Mittelbergers  Journey,  p.  114  ff. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  33 

deal  more  than  Mittelberger  seems  to  think.  If  his  statement  that 
occasional  private  concerts  were  given  by  Englishmen  is  true,  this 
was  probably  the  kind  of  concert  William  Black  attended  in 
1749, 116  and  may  have  been  similar  to  the  concerts  of  1740. 117 

During  the  first  half  of  the  eighteenth  century  Philadelphia 
was  not  so  utterly  devoid  of  musical  culture  as  some  of  our  historians 
of  music  would  have  us  believe.  The  music  was  not  entirely  church 
music,  and  although  musical  culture  was  not  so  important  a  factor 
in  the  life  of  the  people  as  at  the  present  day,  still  music  was  beginning 
to  make  itself  felt  among  intelligent  people,  and  interest  in  it  and 
appreciation  of  it  were  gradually  growing. 


116Cf.  above,  p.  31. 
117Cf.  above,  p.  30. 


PART   II 
Period  of   Progress,   1750-1783 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  37 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Music  TEACHERS 

From  the  preceding  chapters  it  will  be  evident  that  secular 
music  was  beginning  to  be  a  force  in  the  life  of  the  people  although 
the  religious  music  certainly  in  the  first  half  of  the  18th  century  was 
more  prominent.  From  1750  on,  however,  secular  music  gradually 
but  surely  replaces  religious  music  to  a  great  extent,  and  becomes  to 
all  intents  and  purposes  the  noticeable  feature  of  the  musical  life  of 
Philadelphia. 

The  introduction  of  German  concert  music  strange  to  say, 
evidently  was  not  due  to  Germans,  although  the  various  German 
teachers  of  music  may  later  have  aided  in  popularizing  the  music 
of  their  native  land.  Too  much  credit  cannot  be  given  to  the 
different  music  teachers  from  England,  who  inaugurated  public 
concerts  in  Philadelphia,  where  the  works  of  the  greatest  artists 
of  Germany,  England,  and  Italy  were  produced. 

As  early  as  1729118  a  music  teacher  appeared  in  Philadelphia, 
while  in  1749119  another  member  of  the  profession  advertises  for 
pupils.  From  now  on  this  class  of  men  increases,  but  there  is  notice 
able  lack  of  teachers  with  German  names.  The  greater  part  of  these 
men  were  English ;  a  few  French,  Italians,  and  Germans  being  present 
also. 

In  1755  appears  an  unique  advertisement  showing  that  some  of 
the  German  music  teachers  were  not  dependent  upon  music  alone 
for  a  livelihood. 

"The  subscriber  proposes  to  open  a  school  on  Monday  next,  in 
the  house  where  the  late  Mr.  Quin120  formerly  dwelt,  for  the  in- 


118See  above,  p.  29. 
119See  above,  p.  32. 

120Mr.  Quin  was  a  dancing-master,  and  his  room  is  advertised  for   rent  in 
Pa.  Gaz.,  Sept.  11,  1755. 


38  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelpdia. 

struction  of  Gentlemen  and  Ladies,  in  the  following  accomplishments: 

"First,  The  French,  Italian  and  German  languages,  in  a  method 
concise  and  easy. 

"Secondly,  To  play  on  the  violin  after  the  Italian  manner,  with  a 
peculiar  method  of  bowing  and  shifting  in  solo's  or  concerto's. 

"Thirdly,  Drawing  and  miniature  painting  with  colours,  flowers, 
insects,  etc.  .  .  .  Likewise  to  draw  patterns  for  embroidery,  or 
any  kind  of  needle  work 

"He  has  a  variety  of  music,  composed  by  the  most  eminent 
masters,  for  the  violino  solo,  con  cembalo  et  violoncello,  to  be  dis 
posed  of  on  easy  terms. 

John  Matthias  Kramer."121 

Five  years  later  another  accomplished  German  music  teacher 
appeared  upon  the  scene,  whose  modest  advertisement  is  a  relief 
after  reading  the  previous  effusion.  This  man  confines  himself  to 
the  German  flute,  which  seems  to  have  been  an  instrument  of  some 
importance  at  that  period.  This  notice  runs  as  follows: 

"This  is  to  inform  the  Public, 

"That  an  Evening  School  for  teaching  young  Gentlemen  to  play 
upon  the  German  Flute  will  be  opened  by  the  Subscriber  .... 
where  young  Gentlemen  may  be  taught,  by  an  easy  and  regular 
Method,  to  play  with  Judgement  and  Taste,  for  the  moderate  Price 
of  Six  Shillings  per  Week,  and  Thirty  Shillings  Entrance  Money, 
provided  the  Subscriber  can  procure  six  Scholars.  The  Hours  of 
Attendance  will  be  every  Evening  (Sundays  excepted.)  from  6  to 
8  o'clock.  Said  Subscriber  will  also  attend  Gentlemen  at  their 
Houses,  one  Hour  every  other  Day,  for  one  Guinea  per  Month  and 
Thirty  Shillings  Entrance. 

John  Stadler. 

N.  B.  If  any  Gentleman  is  desirious  to  know  the  character 
and  abilities  of  said  Subscriber  as  a  Teacher  of  Music,  they  may  be 
satisfied  by  enquiring  of  any  Gentleman  in  this  City,  who  is  a  Judge 
of  these  Matters."122 

It  is  to  be  noted  that  Stadler  opened  a  school  for  his  instrument, 
which  emphasizes  the  popularity  which  this  instrument  must  have 
enjoyed. 


121Pa.  Gaz.,  Nov.  6,  1755. 
122Pa.  Gaz.,  Aug.  27,  1761. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  39 

Two  years  later  another  German  flutist,  George  Isenberg  or 
D'E'issenburg123  increased  the  force  of  teachers  in  Philadelphia. 
Again  we  find  in  1774  Peter  Kalckoffer  advertising  to  teach  the  be 
loved  German  flute  as  well  as  the  Latin  tongue.124 

Probably  the  most  important  of  these  German  musicians  was 
H.  B.  Victor,  who  went  from  Germany  to  London,  in  1759, 125  and 
whose  advertisement  appears  in  1774 — an  advertisement  worthy  to 
be  placed  alongside  of  some  of  those  of  the  present  day.  He  seems 
to  have  been  an  inventor  of  musical  instruments  as  well.  The  num 
ber  of  instruments  he  plays  at  once,  remind  us  of  some  of  the  street 
musicians  of  the  present  day. 

"Mr.  Victor,  Musician  to  her  late  Royal  Highness  the  Princess 
of  Wales,  and  Organist  at  St.  Georges  in  London,  lately  arrived  here, 
takes  this  method  of  acquainting  the  Musical  Gentry  in  general, 
that  he  gives  instructions  on  the  Harpsichord,  or  Forte  Piano, 
Violin,  German  Flute,  etc.,  especially  in  the  thorough  Bass  both  in 
theory  and  practice,  for  that  his  pupils  may  soon  come  to  a  fundamen 
tal  knowledge  of  that  fine  science. 

N.  B.  Mr.  Victor  intended  to  give  a  concert,  and  to  perform  on 
his  new  musical  instruments,  but  is  obliged  to  postpone  it  for  want 
of  able  hands;  the  one  he  calls  Tromba  doppia  con  Tympana,  on 
which  he  plays  the  first  and  second  trumpet  and  a  pair  of  annexed 
kettle-drums  with  the  feet  all  at  once ;  the  other  is  called  cymbaline 
de  amour,  which  resembles  the  musical  glasses  played  by  harpischord 
keys,  never  subject  to  come  out  of  tune,  both  of  his  own  invention. 
He  is  to  be  met  with  at  his  house  in  Callow  Hill  street  near  Water 
street."126 

According  to  this  advertisement,  Victor  must  have  been  a 
whole  conservatory  of  music  in  himself.  However  he  was  a  musician 
of  some  note  in  our  early  history,  and  as  such  is  worthy  a  place  here. 

As  would  be  expected  the  remainder  of  this  period  brings  no  new 
teachers  to  notice  as  the  colonies  were  busied  with  far  more  im 
portant  matters. 


123Po.  Gaz.,  May  15,  1763. 

124Pa.  Jour.,  June  8,  1774. 

125Sonneck,  Early^Secular  Amer.  Music,  p.  193. 

126Pa.  Packet,  Oct.  17,  1774. 


40  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 


CHAPTER  V. 
Music  DEALERS,  ETC. 

To  supply  the  needs  of  his  pupils  it  is  necessary  for  a  music 
teacher  either  to  carry  a  line  of  musical  wares  himself  or  to  satisfy 
his  wants  from  a  merchant  dealing  in  such  things.  For  some  time 
it  is  quite  likely  that  each  teacher  imported  his  own  musical  merchan 
dise,  although  it  has  already  been  noted  that,  at  an  early  date, 
Benj.  Franklin  had  some  music  on  sale.127  As  in  every  business 
there  is  some  one  ready  to  grasp  an  opportunity,  so  in  the  music 
business  a  man  stepped  forward  to  relieve  the  teachers  of  buying  and 
selling.  This  man  was  Michael  Hillegas,  who  in  1759  opened,  what 
may  be  called,  the  first  real  music  store  in  Philadelphia.  A  glance  at 
the  following  advertisement  will  not  belie  this  claim. 

"To  be  sold  by  Michall  Hillegas,  at  his  House  in  Second  street, 
opposite  Samuel  Morris,  Esq.,  an  extraordinary  good  and  neat 
Harpsichord  with  four  stops;  a  good  Violin-cello,  an  Assortment 
of  English  and  Italian  Violins,  as  well  common  ones,  as  double  lined, 
of  which  some  extraordinary;  a  parcel  of  good  German  Flutes,  im 
ported  here  from  Italy.  Also  imported  in  the  last  ships  from  London, 
a  large  Assortment  of  Musick,  of  the  best  Masters,  viz.:  Solo's, 
Overtures,  Concerto's,  Sonata's,  and  Duets,  for  Violins,  German 
Flutes,  Hautboys,  French  Horns,  Violoncello's,  and  Guitars,  Volun 
taries,  Lessons  for  Organs  and  Harpischords,  ruled  paper  of  various 
Sorts  for  Musick,  and  Musick  Books,  Tutors  or  Books  of  Instructions 
to  learn  to  play  on  the  Violin,  German  Flute,  Hautboy,  or  Common 
Flute,  without  a  Master,  Song  Books,  Cantatas,  Songs  on  Sheets,  and 
a  Choice  Parcel  of  Violin  Strings,  etc."128 


127See  above,  p.  29. 
128Pa.  Gaz.,  Dec.  13,  1759. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  41 

From  this  advertisement  may  be  deduced  many  things.  In  the 
first  place,  such  an  inventory  of  stock  would  not  be  sneered  at  by  a 
music  dealer  of  the  present  day;  we  may  be  sure  then  that  the 
people  were  musical  and  that  there  was  a  demand  for  the  things 
advertised.  We  should  suppose  that  violins  and  German  flutes  were 
the  most  popular  instruments  and  were  in  great  demand;  while 
there  was  certainly  more  than  one  player — perhaps  many — of  the 
above,  common  flute,  French  horn,  'cello,  and  guitar;  and  of  course 
there  were  organists  and  harpsichord  players. 

Thus  we  are  certain,  that,  in  a  few  years  that  the  people  must 
have  progressed  rapidly  in  music,  and  probably  now  it  was  con 
sidered  a  necessary  part  of  every  young  lady's  and  young  gentleman's 
education.  Music  paper,  too,  is  advertised  by  Hillegas.  This  may 
have  been  used  in  copying  compositions  of  other  writers  as  we 
know  Hopkinson  did,129  or,  perhaps,  there  were  composers  at  that 
time  of  whom  there  is  no  record.  The  song-books,  cantatas,  and 
songs  imported  would  be  those  in  favor  in  London,  as  musical  taste 
at  this  period  in  Philadelphia  was  a  reflection  of  English  taste. 

The  name  of  Michael  Hillegas  will  live  as  long  as  the  United 
States  hold  together,  as  he  was  an  important  figure  in  the  early 
history  of  our  country. 

Michael  Hillegas130  was  born  April  22,  [O.  $.] in  Phila 
delphia  of  German  parents.  The  tradition  runs  in  the  Hillegas 
family  that  their  ancestors  were  French.  They  had  a  court  of  arms 
containing  three  musical  staves.  However  that  may  be  Michael's 
parents  came  from  Baden  and  settled  in  Philadelphia,  where  Michael 
Sr.  was  naturalized  April  11,  1749.  He  was  a  merchant,  and  was 
interested  in  real  estate  and  prospered  exceedingly.  At  his  death 
Oct.  11,  1749,  his  property  was  valued  at  .£40,000  of  which  his  son 
Michael  had  two  shares. 

Michael  Jr.  now  carried  on  the  business  of  his  father.  He  was 
popular,  devoted  to  music  and  a  skilful  player  on  the  flute  and 


m$ee  below,  p.  48. 

180Oldest  reliable  spelling  is  Hilde-gras. 


42  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

violin,  and  a  composer  of  "An  Easy  Method  for  the  Flute."131  As 
early  as  1753,  he  advertises  a  church  or  house  organ.132 

Politically  he  was  important,  held  various  offices  in  Philadelphia, 
and  upon  the  adoption  of  the  constitution  became  treasurer — the 
first  treasurer  of  the  United  States — an  office  which  he  held 
throughout  the  war.133 

Such  in  brief  was  the  man  who  kept  the  first  store  of  musical 
merchandise.  His  influence  in  musical  matters  must  have  been 
felt,  although  it  cannot  be  proven.  That  he  had  good  musical  taste 
or  that  the  public  did  is  seen  from  the  list  of  standard  works  which 
he  advertised  in  1764 134  including  those  of  Tartini,  Hass,  Noseri, 
Alberti,  Vincent,  Carter,  Miller,  Balicourt,  Tessorini,  Reed,  Stanley, 
Viaci,  Cervetto,  Davis,  Quants,  Martini,  Weideman,  Hellendaal, 
Pepush,  Triemer,  Wodizka,  Corelli,  Depuis,  Avison,  Humphreys, 
Alcock,  Festnig,  Handel,  Vivaldi  Boyce,  Ruge,  Price,  Burney, 
Fisher,  Ferigo,  Flackston,  Bates,  Retzel,  Benegger,  Bezozsi,  Albinoni, 
Graun,  Stamitz,  Fritz,  Barbella,  Richter,  Kleinecht,  Lampugnini, 
Pasquali,  M'Gibbon,  Dottel,  Gerard,  Stechwey,  Battino,  Campioni, 
Claget,  Agzell,  Figlio,  Diragini,  Lanzetti,  Kunzen,  Scarlatti,  Smith 
[Schmidt?],  Barbandt,  Berg.  This  is  a  list  of  names  of  composers 
which,  at  that  time  were  popular  and  some  of  which  hold  an  important 
place  in  the  musical  world  of  to-day. 

Although  Michael  Hillegas,  probably  for  some  time,  had  almost 
a  monopoly  of  the  selling  of  musical  merchandize,  it  was  not  long 
before  another  firm  usurped  the  position  which  Hillegas  had  held  in 
the  musical  world,  and  apparently  crowded  him  out  of  business,  as 
his  advertisements,  after  a  short  time,  are  few  and  gradually  cease 
altogether.  The  music-house  par  excellence  which  now  came  to 
the  front  was  that  of  the  English  book-sellers,  Rivington  &  Brown. 


131Advertised  in  Pa.  Gaz.,  June  19,  1776. 

132Pa.  Gaz.,  Aug.  9,  1753. 

133Material  for  this  sketch  taken  from  "Michael  Hillegas  and  His  Descendants" 
by  Emma  St.  Clair  Whitney;  also,  "A  Memoir  of  the  First  Treasurer  of  the  U.  S," 
by  M.  R.  Minnich. 

134Pa.  Gaz.,  Jan.  5,  1764. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  43 

who  carried  a  remarkably  large  stock  of  musical  merchandize. 
135However  we  are  only  concerned  with  those  storekeepers  of  German 
descent  so  we  will  have  to  pass  by  this  large  and  prosperous  establish 
ment. 

Soon  after  this  Theodore  Memminger,  a  liquor  dealer,  advertises : 

"A  Fine  Parcel  of  Violins,  at  a  very  low  Price.  They  are  all 
made  by  the  best  Masters  in  High  Germany.  He  has  likewise  the 
best  Sort  of  Fiddle  Strings." 136 

In  1768  he  seems  to  have  increased  his  music  business,  as  the 
following  notice  shows: 

"A  Variety  of  violins  at  different  prices;  the  best  kind  of  fresh 
fiddle  strings:  guitar  and  spinnett  brass  and  steel  wire:  a  fine  pair 
of  very  good  ivory  German  flutes.  He  spins  all  sorts  of  bass  strings 
with  silver  wire,"137 

Most  of  this  business  seems  to  have  been  in  the  hands  of  the 
English  for  with  the  exception  of  one  more  German  Conrad  Batis, 
who  advertises  among  other  things  "a  quantity  of  violins  and  violin 
strings,"138  no  other  German  music  dealer  has  been  discovered. 

There  is,  however,  one  more  event  of  importance  to  chronicle, 
before  leaving  the  music  dealers.  It  has  been  already  stated  that 
harpsichords  and  spinets  were  made  in  Philadelphia  at  an  early  period. 
It  remained  for  John  Behrent,  a  German,  to  add  to  the  renown  of 
Philadelphia  in  the  realm  of  music.  In  1775  he  advertised: 

"John  Behrent,  Joiner  and  Instrument  Maker  living  in  Third 
street  continued  in  Campington,  directly  opposite  Coate's  Burying- 
ground,  Has  just  finished  for  sale,  an  extraordinary  fine  instrument, 
by  the  name  of  Piano  Forte,  of  Mahogany,  in  the  manner  of  an  harpis- 
chord,  with  hammers,  and  several  changes:  He  intends  to  dispose 
of  it  on  very  reasonable  terms:  and  being  a  master  of  such  sort  of 
work,  and  a  new  beginner  in  this  country  he  requests  all  lovers  of 
music  to  favour  him  with  their  custom,  and  they  shall  not  only  be 


135Cf.  Pa.  Gaz.,  Feb.  4.  1762,   also  Pa.  Jour.,  Dec.  15,  1763. 
136Pa.  Gaz.,  Nov.  10,  1763. 
137Pa.  Jour.,  Nov.  17,  1768. 
138Pa.  Gaz.,  Feb.  17,  1773. 


44  Early  jGerman  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

honestly  served,  but  their  favours  gratefully  acknowledged,  by  their 
humble  servant,  John  Behrent."139 

Evidently  the  War  of  the  Revolution  interrupted  any  further 
progress  in  musical  development,  as  nothing  more  of  importance 
is  found  during  this  period. 


139Pa.  Pack.,  Mar.  13,  1775. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  45 


CHAPTER  VI. 
CONCERT  Music. 

In  a  previous  chapter  it  was  shown  that  a  kind  of  subscription 
concert  was  given  as  early  as  1744,  and  although  there  is  no  record 
of  public  or  private  concerts  being  given  for  sometime  after  that,  it 
is  only  natural  to  suppose  that  at  least  private  chamber  concerts 
were  given. 

We  may  be  sure  that  bands  were  a  feature  at  an  early  date,  and 
no  doubt  added  somewhat  to  the  musical  life  of  Philadelphia.  It  is 
not  until  1755,  however,  that  there  is  any  mention  of  such  an  organiza 
tion.  However  in  that  year  we  learn  that  a  "Band  of  Musick" 
headed  a  procession  of  Masons  on  St.  John's  Day.140  How  im 
portant  this  procession  was  considered  by  the  onlookers  is  seen  from 
the  testimony  of  Daniel  Fisher  who  writes  in  his  diary : 

"I  should  observe  that  on  St.  John  the  Baptist  Day  (June  24) 
there  was  the  Greatest  Procession  of  Free  Masons  to  the  Church  and 
their  Lodge,  in  Second  Street  that  was  ever  seen  in  America.  No  less 
than  160  being  in  the  Procession  in  Gloves,  Aprons,  etc.,  attended 
by  a  band  of  Music."141 

This  band  probably  was  not  like  those  of  the  present  time,  but 
may  have  been  satisfactory  to  the  inhabitants  of  old  Philadelphia. 
We  may  assume  it  was  similar  to  a  drum  and  fife  corps,  although  this 
assumption  may  do  injustice  to  the  musical  taste  of  that  time. 
Anyway  we  have  the  year  following  a  more  detailed  description  of  a 
procession  including  music. 


140Pa.  Gaz.,  Jun.  26,  1755. 

141Pa.  Mag.  of  Hist.,  Vol.  XVII,  p.  273. 


46  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

"The  Philadelphia  Regiment  consisting  of  upwards  of  1,000 
able-bodied  men  after  being  reviewed  and  performing  the  Manual 
Exercises  [went]  thro'  the  Town  in  Three  Grand  Divisions.  .  .  . 
with  Hautboys  and  Fifes  in  Ranks..  .  .  [and]  Drums  between 
the  third  and  fourth  Ranks."143 

This  is  certainly  a  small  beginning  but  the  band  had  come  to 
stay  and  apparently  was  popular,  and  prabably  was  used  in  most 
processions  and  public  celebrations.  After  the  victory  at  Louisburg 
fireworks  were  displayed  in  Philadelphia  and  a  performance  of  a 
"Band  of  Music  playing  Britons  strike  home."143 

At  a  later  date  bands  of  the  British  regiments  stationed  in 
Philadelphia,  aided  at  the  public  commencements  of  the  "College 
and  Charity  School" 144  now  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 

The  year  1757  is  very  important  in  the  history  of  music  in 
Philadelphia.  We  have  now  the  "first  public  concerts  on  record," 
says  O.  G.  Sonneck.145  The  advertisement  runs: 

"By  particular  Desire.  On  Tuesday  next,  the  25th  instant,  at 
the  Assembly  Room,  in  Lodge  Alley  will  be  performed  a  Concert  of 
Music,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  John  Palma,146  to  begin  exactly  at 
Six  o'clock.  Tickets  to  be  had  at  the  London  Coffee  House,  at  one 
Dollar  each,  and  no  Person  to  be  admitted  without  a  ticket."147 

Another  concert  was  given  March  25th,  of  this  same  year.148 
This  year,  too,  a  man  appears  in  musical  circles,  who  undoubtedly 
exercised  more  influence  upon  musical  affairs  in  Philadelphia  than 
any  one  man  before  or  since.  This  is  no  other  than  Frances  Hopkin- 
son,  statesman,  signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  Lawyer, 
Writer,  Inventor,  Composer  of  Music,  etc.,  etc.  His  contributions 
to  the  music  and  musical  taste  of  this  country  is  little  known,  but 


142Pa.  Journal,  Mar.  2-5,  1756. 

143Po.  Gaz.,  Sept.  7,  1758. 

144Po.  Gaz. 

145Cf.  O.  G.  Sonneck,  Frances  Hopkinson  and  James  Lyon. 

146Palma  was  formerly  a  music  teacher  in  London. 

147Pa.  Gaz.t  Jan.  20,  1757. 

148Pa.  Journal,  Mar.  24,  1757. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  47 

when  we  say  that  the  evidence  points  to  him  as  the  first  native  com 
poser  in  America,  although  Jas.  Lyon  of  this  city  may  have  been — 
they  both  wrote  music  as  early  as  1759149 — this  fact  makes  him  a 
man  of  the  greatest  importance  in  musical  circles.  We  wish  to 
correct  here  a  statement  made  by  various  writers  on  American  music, 
that  William  Billings  was  the  first  American  composer.  This  is 
absolutely  false,  since  Hopkinson  and  Lyon  composed  music  at  least 
ten  years  before  Billings  did,  while  the  latter  was  yet  a  child. 

It  will  not  be  out  of  place  here  to  give  a  short  account  of  Frances 
Hopkinson,  laying  particular  stress  upon  his  musical  labors,  especially 
as  regards  German  music. 

Frances  Hopkinson  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Sept.  21,  1737, 
the  son  of  Thomas  and  Mary  Hopkinson.  He  must  have  been  keen, 
active,  and  studious,  since,  while  yet  a  boy  of  twenty,  he  received 
his  degree  with  the  first  class  ever  graduated  from  the  College  of 
Philadelphia.  From  now  on  he  advanced  in  knowledge  and  in 
favor  with  the  world.  In  1760  he  received  the  degree  of  Master  of 
Arts  from  his  Alma  Mater,  and  in  1763  recieved  the  same  degree 
from  the  College  of  New  Jersey.  In  1790  his  own  college  conferred 
upon  him  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws. 

His  public  life  was  too  active  to  give  more  than  the  briefest 
sketch.  His  first  public  office  was  that  of  secretary  to  the  governor 
in  a  conference  between  the  latter  and  the  Lehigh  Indians.  From 
now  on,  he  held  many  offices,  as  secretary  of  the  Library  Company 
in  1759;  1772  Collector  of  the  Port  of  New  Castle;  1774  held  a  seat 
in  Provinicial  Council  of  New  Jersey ;  1776  delegate  to  the  Continental 
Congress;  signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence;  1779  Judge 
of  the  Admiralty  from  Pennsylvania;  1778  Trustee  of  the  College 
of  Philadelphia.  Besides  this,  he  wrote  many  political  pieces  of 
which  "The  Battle  of  the  Kegs,"  1778,  was  the  most  popular.  He 
was  also  for  a  time  organist  in  Christ  Church,  instructor  in  psalmody, 
a  pillar  of  the  church,  and  an  inventor  of  improvements  for  the 
harpsichord.150 


149Cf.  Sonneck,  "Frances  Hopkinson,  etc."     [An  admirable   discussion.] 
150Cf.  E.  P.  Cheney,  History  of  U.  of  P.,  p.  288  ff. 
Also  Cf.  Sonneck,  "Frances  Hopkinson ,  etc. 


48  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

Our  first  knowledge  that  Hopkinson  studied  music  is  a  notice 
in  the  magazine  containing  his  "Ode  on  Music,"  which  remarks: 

"Written  at  Philadelphia  by  a  young  Gentleman  of  17,  on  his 
beginning  to  learn  the  Harpsichord.152 

The  only  professional  music  master  at  that  time  was  John 
Beals,153  but,  later,  1757,  came  John  Palma154  and  in  1763  James 
Bremner.155  Hopkinson  may  have  taken  lessons  from  any  or  all 
of  these  men  for  all  we  know  to  the  contrary;  but  it  is  certain  that 
he  was  a  pupil  of  Jas.  Bremner,  a  Scotch  musician  of  some  note.158 

Hopkinson  made  his  first  public  appearance  as  a  musician 
probably  in  1757  when  the  "Masque  of  Alfred" — words  by  Thompson- 
Mallett;  music  by  Dr.  Arne — was  given  at  the  College  of  Phila 
delphia  as  an  exercise  in  oratory. 157  He  may  have  been  accompanist 
for  this  performance. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  with  what  music  Hopkinson  was 
acquainted  at  this  time  and  for  this  purpose  I  shall  quote  from 
Sonneck's  exhaustive  work : 

"The  torso  of  a  book  with  the  memorandum  'Frances  Hopkinson, 
1755,'  attracts  our  attention.  It  is  in  manuscript,  possibly  of  the 
owner.  Most  pieces  have  a  figured  base,  and  are  Italian,  French, 
English  trios,  songs,  and  duets,  arranged  for  the  harpsichord,  amongst 
them  for  instance  'A  Song  in  the  Triumph  of  Hibernia,'  an  'Air  in 
Atalanta'  by  Handel,  and  a  famous  'Water  Piece'  by  the  same 
author."158 

Another  book  of  manuscript  bearing  the  date,  1759,  contains 
pieces  by  "Handel  with  ten  pieces  (Samson,  evidently  being  Hopkin- 
son's  favorite  oratorio  by  the  master),  'Signor  Palma,'  and  'Signor 


152American  Magazine,  Oct.  1757. 

153Cf .  Above,  p.     There  was  however  a  music  mistress  Cf .  above,  p. 

154Cf.  Above  9. 

155Pa.  Gaz.,  Dec.  1,  1763. 

156Sonneck,  Frances  Hop.  etc.,  p.  29. 

157Sonneck,  Frances  Hop.,  etc.,  p.  22  and  40,  Pa.  Gaz.,  Jan.  20,  1757. 

158Sonneck,  "Fr.  Hop.,  etc.,"  p.  32. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  49 

Vinci'  both  with  four:  Arne  with  two;  Pepush  (Alex's  a  Cantata!) 
Dr.  Boyce,  Pergolesi,  and  Purcell  with  one  piece."159 

A  third  volume  called  "Lessons",  date  not  given,  contains, 
among  others,  compositions  by:  "Handel  'who  (predominates,) 
Scarlatti,  Abel,  Stamitz,  Vivaldi,  Galuppi,  Pugnani,  Stanley,  Smith, 
[Schmidt],  Pasquali,  Giardini,  Corelli,  Geminiani,  Lord  Kelly."160 

From  these  manuscripts  it  will  be  seen  that  Hopkinson  was 
familiar  with  many  of  the  best  composers  of  the  world.  He  was 
evidently  especially  fond  of  Italian  and  English  composers,  but  we 
may  judge  that  he  liked  Handel's  music  best  of  all.  In  the  list 
directly  above  there  are  mentioned  the  following  Germans:  Handel, 
Abel,  Stamitz,  Schmidt;  also  the  Englishman,  Stanley,  was  a 
particular  friend  of  Handel,  and  his  music,  as  was  all  music  of 
England  at  that  time,  must  have  been  modeled  after  Handel's; 
then  there  is  Lord  Kelley  who  studied  music  in  Germany.  We 
believe  that  the  greater  part  of  this  music  was  brought  to  Hopkinson's 
attention  by  the  music-masters  from  London,  and  if  that  is  so,  it 
naturally  follows  that  others  of  their  pupils  became  acquainted  with 
standard  composers.  We  may  be  sure,  too,  that  Handel,  who  was 
almost  idolized  in  England  during  this  century,  had  impressed  these 
English  American  music-masters  with  his  importance,  and  they 
would  not  keep  to  themselves  their  knowledge  of  him  and  his  works. 
Handel,  says  one  writer : 

"For  nearly  a  century  .  .  .  stood  to  the  English  school  as  a 
model  of  everything  that  was  good  and  great,  to  such  an  extent  that 
very  little  of  original  value  was  accomplished  in  that  country,  and 
when,  by  lapse  of  time  and  a  deeper  self -consciousness  on  the  part  of 
English  musicians,  this  influence  had  begun  to  wane,  a  new  German 
composer  came  in  the  person  of  Felix  Mendelssohn  Bartholdy,  who, 
in  turn,  became  a  popular  idol,  and  for  many  years  a  barrier  to 
original  effort."181 

To  turn  again  to  Hopkinson  we  find  that  he  not  only  had 
manuscript  books  of  music,  but  also  printed  works  such  as: 


159Sonneck,  Fr.  Hop.,  etc."  p.  33. 

160Sonneck,  "Fr.  Hop.,  etc.:'  p-  34. 

161W.  S.  B.  Matthews.     A  Popular  History  of  Music,  p.  281 


50  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

"Six  Sonatas  for  the  Piano  Forte  or  Harpsichord,  Composed  by 
Frederick  Theodor  Schumann,  Opera  5th  London.1*2 
"Handel's  Songs  selected  from  the  Oratorios." 162 

Then  there  were  books  by  Italian  composers,  with  which  we 
are  not  concerned.162 

From  the  evidence  already  presented,  it  will  probably  be  granted 
that,  the  German  concert  music  which  was  found  in  Philadelphia 
in  the  early  18th  century,  was  brought  in  rather  by  the  English 
musicians  than  by  the  Germans.  We  find  the  taste  for  music  in 
London  reflected  by  the  various  music  teachers,  and  by  the  actors 
who  came  to  Philadelphia  from  London  during  the  sixth  and  seventh 
decades.  This  English  influence  lasted  until  the  War  of  the  Revo 
lution  during  which  there  was  a  period  of  quiescence.  After  peace 
was  restored,  the  English,  Germans,  and  French — the  latter  exiles 
and  victims  of  the  French  Revolution — all  aided  in  the  continuance 
of  high  class  music. 

Subscription  concerts  or  in  fact  concerts  of  any  kind  seem  to 
have  gone  out  of  fashion  in  Philadelphia,  but  in  1764  there  was  an 
awakening  and  a  series  of  concerts  was  instituted,  beginning  January 
the  nineteenth ;  "to  be  continued  every  other  Thursday,  till  the  24th 
of  May  following.  No  more  than  70  Subscribers  will  be  admitted, 
and  each,  on  paying  Three  Pounds  for  the  Season,  to  have  one 
Lady's  Ticket  to  be  disposed  of  every  Concert  Night,  as  he  thinks 
proper."163 

This  then  was  a  series  of  subscription  concerts  and  must  have 
been  confined  to  the  aristocracy  of  the  town.  The  next  year  another 
series  of  such  concerts  was  given,164  so  they  were  evidently  quite 
successful.  Of  these  concerts  there  has  been  no  program  discovered, 
but  in  the  spring  of  1765  there  is  a  program  of  a  concert,  which  is 
probably  representative  of  the  programs  given  at  that  time.  The 
advertisement  for  this  concert  is  of  interest : 

"On  Wednesday  evening  the  10th  Instant  at  the  College  Hall  in 
this  City  was  performed  a  solemn  Entertainment  of  Music  under  the 


162Sonneck,  Fr.  Hop.,  etc.,  p.  34. 
163Pa.  Gaz.,  Jan.  12,  1764. 
164Pa.  Gaz.,  Nov.  1,1764. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  51 

Direction  of  Mr.  Bremner;165  interspersed  with  Oratorios,  by  some  of 

the  young  Students Nearly  One  Hundred  and  Thirty 

Pounds  was  raised  for  the  Benefit  of  the  Charity  Schools  belonging 
to  the  said  College."166 

The  program  included  overtures  of  Stamitz,  Kelly,  and  Arne, 
and  Martini,  and  a  concerto  of  Geminiani;  also,  sacred  songs,  orations, 
and  a  violin  solo. 

Besides  these  exhibitions  there  were  probably  concerts  of 
chamber  music,  as  witness: 

"Even  in  the  last  century  [18th]  it  was  usual  for  families  to  have 
meetings  at  their  houses  for  their  improvement  in  music.  Governor 
Penn,  who  played  the  violin,  had  musical  soirees  every  Sunday 
evening  at  his  house  in  South  Third  Street,  during  a  portion  of  the 
year.  Dr.  Adam  Kuhn,  himself  an  amateur,  attended  them." 167 

The  first  definite  mention  of  an  orchestra  was  in  1767  when  it 
was  announced  that  the  singing  in  the  Southwark  Theatre  was 
''accompanied  by  a  Band  of  Music."  168"An  estimate  as  to  this 
orchestra  is  herewith  given:  violins,  flute,  harpischord,  oboe,  'cello, 
trumpet,  and,  perhaps,  French  horn  and  drum. 

There  were  sparks  in  the  town,  who  also,  indulged  in  serenading 
their  lady  loves,  an  account  of  which  is  given  by  an  Englishman  in 
a  letter  to  his  sister: 

"Dear  Sister,  .  .  .  Pray  (as  old  Polonious  says)  when  you 
'was  young  and  in  love,'  did  you  approve  of  serenading?  It  is 
extremely  in  vogue  here  now.  The  manner  is  as  follows:  We,  with 
four  or  five  young  officers  of  the  regiment  in  barracks,  drink  as  hard 
as  we  can,  to  keep  out  the  cold,  and  about  midnight  sally  forth, 
attended  by  the  band,  which  consists  of  ten  musicians,  horns,  clarinets, 
hautboys,  and  bassoons,  march  through  the  streets,  and  play  under 
the  window  of  any  lady  you  choose  to  distinguish;  which  they 
esteem  a  high  compliment.  In  about  an  hour  all  the  blackguards 
who  sleep  upon  the  bulks,  with  gentlemen  of  a  certain  profession 
who  sweeten  the  streets  at  night,  are  collected  round,  drawn  by  that 


165Cf.  Above,  p. 

166Po.  Gaz.,  Apr.  18,  1765. 

167 W.  G.  Armstrong,  Record  of  the  Opera  in  Phila.,  p.  6. 

168Pa.  Gaz.,  Sept.  24,  1767. 


52  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

charm  which  soothes  a  savage  breast,  and  altogether  make  it  extreme 
ly  agreeable  in  a  fine  frosty  morning." 169 

In  this  letter  are  mentioned  clarinets  and  bassoons,  instruments 
possibly  not  common  in  Philadelphia.  The  band  probably  belonged 
to  the  regiment  of  which  the  writer  was  a  member,  and  was  very 
small  compared  to  the  regimental  bands  of  to-day. 

That  there  could  not  have  been  many  professional  musicians 
in  Philadelphia  is  shown  by  a  notice  concerning  the  Southwark 
Theatre  in  1769: 

"The  Orchestra  on  Opera  Nights,  will  be  assisted  by  some  musical 
Persons,  who  as  they  have  no  View,  but  to  contribute  to  the  Enter 
tainment  of  the  Public,  certainly  claim  a  Protection  from  any  Manner 
of  Insult."170 

Evidently  at  this  early  period  people  were  beginning  to  be 
critical,  and,  as  the  orchestra  did  not  come  up  to  their  expectations, 
they  did  not  hesitate  to  show  their  resentment. 

It  has  been  said  that  no  concerts  are  to  be  traced  in  Philadelphia 
in  1766  and  1767.171  In  1767  however,  Mr.  Garner,  a  teacher  of 
psalmody  advertises  four  charity  concerts,172  upon  which  a  little 
light  is  thrown  by  the  following  notices  given  by  Mr.  Garner  concern 
ing  one  of  these  concerts : 

"The  vocal  parts  by  Mr.  Wools,  Miss  Wainwright,  and  Miss 
Hallam.  The  greatest  care  shall  be  taken  to  render  the  entertain 
ment  pleasing  and  satisfactory." 173 

The  program  not  being  in  existence,  we  cannot  say  with  a  surety 
what  character  it  assumed.  It  may  have  been  partly  of  a  sacred 
character,  but  it  is  also  likely,  since  the  three  singers  mentioned 
belonged  to  the  theatre,  that  the  program  had  at  least  a  semi-worldy 
tinge. 

In  1767  arrived  in  Philadelphia  an  Italian,  John  Gualdo,  who 
exercised,  for  a  few  years,  a  great  influence  upon  the  musical  taste 


169Po.  Mag.  of  Hist.,  Vol.  XI,  p.  281. 
170Pa.  Gaz.,  Nov.  30,  1769. 
171Cf.  Sonneck,  Early  Concert  Life. 
172Pa.  Journ.,  Jan.  8,  1767. 
173Pa.  Chronicle,  Feb.  2,  1767. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  53 

of  the  people.  His  choice  of  music  was  not  limited  to  compositions 
of  Italian  masters,  nor  to  his  own  compositions,  since  one  of  his 
advertisements  states,  that  the  instrumental  music  is  "by  Messieurs 
Geminiani,  Barbella,  Campioni,  Zanetti,  Pellegrino,  Abel,  Bach, 
Gualdo,  the  Karl  of  Kelley,  and  others."174 

Sonneck  dates  Gualdo's  first  concert  Nov.  16,  1769, 175  but 
according  to  the  following  advertisement  it  would  seem  to  have 
taken  place  a  month  earlier: 

"To  THE  PUBUC: 

"At  the  Assembly  Room,  on  next  Wednesday  (being  the  18th 
of  October)  will  be  performed  a  concert  of  vocal  and  instrumental 
music,  for  the  Benefit  of  a  little  Master,  not  seven  years  old,  who  will 
give  a  specimen  of  his  early  abilities. — The  concert  to  be  directed  by 
Mr.  Gualdo,  after  the  Italian  Method.  Tickets  at  a  Dollar  a  piece. 
.  .  .  After  the  Concert,  the  company  (if  agreeable)  shall  be 
furnished  with  a  set  of  players,  without  any  expences,  in  order  to 
end  the  evening  with  a  ball."176  Handbills  were  distributed  giving 
the  program. 

In  his  next  concert,  Nov.  16,  two  of  his  performers  were  Germans, 
if  we  may  judge  from  the  names.  Mr.  Curtz  played  the  harpsichord, 
while  Mr.  Hoffman  Jr.,  was  a  clarinet  soloist.177  Another  concert 
not  noted  by  Sonneck  was  to  be  given  after  the  races  on  Sept.  27, 
1770. 178  In  his  next  advertisement  Gualdo  gives  a  list  of  the 
instruments  to  be  used  in  his  next  concert,  as  follows:  violins,  German 
flutes,  French  horns,  clarinet,  harpischord,  and  mandolin.170  In 
1771  Gualdo  gave  his  last  concert.  This  same  year  is  important  as 
it  brings  to  our  notice  a  German,  Philip  Roth,  who  was,  perhaps, 
the  first  German  composer  of  secular  music  in  Philadelphia.  This 
first  piece  was  composed  for  the  following  concert : 

"By  Permission  and  particular  Desire, 

For  the  Benefit  of  Mr.  John  McLean(Instructor  of  the  German 
Flute).  Will  be  performed,  at  the  Assembly  Room,  in  Lodge  Alley, 


174Pa.  Jour.,  Nov.  30,  1769. 

175Sonneck,  Early  Concert  Life,  etc.,  p.  71. 

176Pa.  Chron.,  Oct.  16,  1769. 

177Cf.  Program  in  Sonneck's,  Early  Concert  Life,  p.  31 

178Pa.  Jour.,  Sept.  27,  1770. 

179Pa.  Chron.,  Oct.  8,  1770. 


54  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

A  Concert  of  Music,  Vocal  and  Instrumental:   To  begin  precisely  at 
Six  o'clock  in  the  Evening.     On  Thursday  the  Fifth  of  December. 

The  Concert  will  consist  of  two  Acts,  commencing  and  ending 
with  favourite  Overtures,  performed  by  a  full  Band  of  Music,  with 
Trumpets,  Kettle  Drums,  and  every  Instrument  that  can  be  in 
troduced  with  Propriety.  The  Performance  will  be  interspersed 
with  the  most  pleasing  and  select  Pieces  composed  by  approved 
Authors;  and  a  Solo  will  be  played  on  the  German  Flute,  by  John 
M'Lean,  and  the  whole  will  conclude  with  an  Overture,  composed 
(for  the  Occasion)  by  Philip  Roth,  Master  of  the  Band,  belonging  to 
his  Majesty's  Royal  Regiment  of  North  British  Fusileers,  etc."180 

From  this  advertisement  it  will  be  seen  that  there  must  have 
been  an  orchestra  or  band  of  some  importance  at  this  time,  and  it 
is  quite  probable  that  the  British  regiments  which  at  various  times 
were  stationed  in  Philadelphia,  were  important  factors  in  extending 
the  love  of  music,  by  means  of  concerts  which  the  regimental  bands 
must  have  given. 

In  1772  a  concert  program  of  little  interest  was  given  at  the 
state-house,181  and  in  1774  one  by  Sigr.  Sodi.182  In  a  previous 
chapter  was  mentioned  H.  B.  Victor,  and  the  concert  he  intended 
to  give.183 

The  War  of  the  Revolution  soon  dawned,  and  with  it  matters 
of  a  serious  nature  engaged  the  minds  of  the  people,  although 
occasionally  a  ball  was  given,  and  perhaps  regimental  concerts. 
The  play  houses,  which  for  over  ten  years,  had  been  an  important 
feature,  and  had  been  well  patronized  by  Philadelphians,  were  closed 
in  1778  by  Act  of  Congress,  but,  nevertheless,  there  was  given 
occasionally  a  farce  or  concert.184  Still  music  and  drama  were 
almost  at  a  standstill  during  the  war. 


180Pa.  Gaz.,  Nov.  28,  1771. 

181Pa.  Gaz.,  Aug.  19,  1772. 

182Sonneck,  Early  Concert  Life,  p.  76. 

183Cf.  Above,  p.  39. 

184Madeira,  Annals  of  Music,  p.  33. 


PART    III 
Period  of  Greatest  Development  (1783-1800) 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  57 


CHAPTER  VII. 
ALEXANDER  REINAGLE. 

During  the  Revolutionary  War  it  has  been  stated,  that  concert 
music  was  at  a  premium.  However  in  the  fall  of  1783  was  founded 
by  John  Bentley,  the  City  Concert,  "which  was  an  important  step  in 
the  musical  life  of  Philadelphia."  These  concerts  were  to  be  given 
every  two  weeks.  As  no  programs  have  been  preserved,  we  are 
unable  to  determine  just  what  music  was  used.  As  Sonneck  says: 
"It  goes  without  saying  that  John  Bentley  engaged  the  best  musicians 
to  be  had  in  the  city  and  that  he  performed  music  in  keeping  with 
the  refined  taste  of  such  men  as  Francis  Hopkinson  and  Thomas 
Jefferson."185  These  concerts  were  evidently  kept  up  until  the 
season  of  1785-6. 

In  1786  a  musician  arrived  in  Philadelphia,  who  was  of  great 
importance  to  the  musical  life  of  that  time.  This  was  Alexander 
Reinagle  one  of  the  ablest  musicians  in  America  in  that  century. 

He  was  born  in  1765  at  Portsmouth,  England,  of  Austrian 
parents.186  He  seems  to  have  inherited,  as  did  his  brothers  Joseph 
and  Hugh,  a  love  of  music  from  his  father,  who  was  a  skilful  musician. 
Alexander  studied  music  in  Scotland  with  Raynor  Taylor,  who  later 
became  one  of  the  leading  musicians  in  Philadelphia.  The  material 
concerning  Reinagle  before  his  arrival  in  America  is  scanty,  but  the 
few  data  there  are  show  that  he  was  known  to  the  musical  world  of 
that  time.  In  a  memorandum  book187  of  his,  preserved  in  the 


185Sonneck,  Early  Concert  Life,  p.  79. 

188Sonneck,  Quarterly  Magazine  of  International  Music  Society,  October- 
December,  1906,  p.  112. 

187O.  G.  Sonneck  first  called  attention  to  this  book  in  his  article  in  the 
Quarterly  Magazine  of  the  International  Music  Society  quoted  above  p.  113. 


58  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

Library  of  Congress,  is  an  account  of  a  trip  which  he  took  to  Lisbon 
1784-5  in  company  with  his  brother  Hugh,  an  eminent  'cellist,188 
who  was  sick  with  consumption.  They  arrived  in  Lisbon  the  twenty- 
third  of  October,  and  Reinagle  tells  of  their  lodgings  there,  expenses, 
etc.  Of  special  interest  is  an  item  for  January,  1785: 

"Had  a  Concert  in  the  Assembly  Room  8th  Jany. — Per 
formed  to  the  Queen  and  R.  family  Sunday  16th  July.  Rec'd. 
a  present  from  her  Majesty  of  50  Moids." 

After  burying  his  brother  Hugh,  who  died  the  nineteenth  of 
March,  1785,  he  "embarked  from  Lisbon  Sat.  23d  April  sail'd  24th 
&  arrived  in  Portsmouth  Tuesday  17th  May.  Made  in  Lisbon: 

By  Concert ,£100—.  .—  .  . 

By  Queen 67—.  .  — .  . 

Two  P.  Fortes 30— .  .  — .  . 

Four  Ditto  (?) 35—.  .  — .  . 

Teaching 3—12—.  . 

Fund  (?) 31—10—.  . 

267       2     . . 

Expences  At  Murrays £7 — ...  — 

Medicines 23 — 

Diet  from  15  Mar.  to  23d  April  at  Mrs.  Morleys ...     51 

In  all  Diet ^58 

Medicines 23 

81 

From  these  statements  it  would  appear  that  his  trip  financially 
was  a  decided  success.  It  would  seem  from  the  large  sums  of  money 
obtained  from  his  performances  at  Lisbon,  that  he  must  have  been 
well  known  as  a  prominent  musician.  There  is  further  evidence  of 
his  standing  in  the  musical  world  disclosed  by  O.  G.  Sonneck  in  an 
article  in  the  Quarterly  Magazine  of  the  International  Music  Society," 


188Cf.  Articles  on  Hugh  Reinagle,  in  Grove's  Dictionary  of  Music,   and  in 
"Dictionary  of  National  Biography." 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  59 

entitled  "Zwei  Briefe  C.  Ph.  Km.  Bachs  an  Alex.  Reinagle."     They 
were  evidently  good  friends,  as  Bach  writes: 

"Monsieur 

Je  Vous  suis  infmement  oblige  du  Souvenir  dont  Vous  m' 
honorez  et  je  souhaite  que  Vous  veuillez  me  le  conserver  toujours; 
et  dans  le  cours  de  vos  annees  les  plus  riantes.  La  nouvelle  que 
Vous  me  donnez  de  la  triste  situation  de  Mr.  Votre  Frere  m'a  chagrine" 
beaucoup;  tant  par  rapport  &  Vous  qu'&  lui  m£me.  Le  Ciel  Vous 
comble  de  prospe'rite's,  une  de  plus  cheres  c'est  la  sant£  me"me. 

Je  Vous  envoye  la  musique,  que  Vous  m'avez  demand^,  le  prix 
est  fix£  au  prix  ordinaire,  la  musique  que  je  Vous  ai  donn£  pour  vous 
m£me,  &  Hamburg  etoit  fixee  au  prix  de  premuneration,  en  Votre 
faveur.  Quand  Vous  m'ecrivez  une  autre  fois,  ne  manquez  pas 
de  me  marquer  Votre  sort,  auquel  je  m'interesse  beaucoup.  En 
m£me  temps  je  Vous  prie  de  me  faire  avoir  votre  portrait  et  celui 
de  Mr.  votre  frere,  seulement  en  dessin,  pour  les  placer  dans  mon 
cabinet  de  portraits  des  musiciens.  Cela  me  servira  d'aide  dans  le 
souvenir  de  votre  amitie",  dans  le  retour  de  laquelle  ji  suis  et  serai 
toujours. 

Monsieur 

Votre 

Hamburg  tres  humble  Serviteur. 

ce  25  du  mois  de  Fevrier  1785.     Ch.  Ph.  Em.  Bach. 

The  other  letter  is  without  date,  but  Sonneck  conjectures  that 
it  was  written  the  last  of  1785  or  the  beginning  of  1786.     It  runs  as 
follows : 
"Liebwehrtester  Freund, 

Ich  bedaure  von  Herzen  den  Verlust  Ihres  lieben  und  bra- 
ven  Herrn  Bruders  eben  so  sehr,  als  ich  mich  uber  Ihre  gute 
Aufnahme  in  Lissabon  und  gluckliche  Wiederkunft  in  London 
gefreut  habe.  Ihr  Project  wegen  meiner  gedruckten  Rondos  kann 
mir  in  der  Folge  viel  Schaden  thun,  weil  meine  mit  grossen  Kosten 
von  mir  in  starken  Auflagen  verlegten  Samlungen,  worin  sie  stehen, 
unverkauft  liegen  bleiben  werden.  Die  Liebhaherey  zu  den  Rondos 
ist  hier  eben  so  gross,  wie  in  London,  und  ich  habe  sie  deswegen 
mit  eingemischt,  um  meinen  Verkauf  zu  befordern.  Ich  weiss  aus 
der  Erfahrung,  dass  sehr  viele  mcine  Samlungen  bios  wegen  der 
Rondos  kaufen.  Folglich  sind  mir  Exemplare  von  Ihren  verlegten 
Rondos  nichts  nutze,  sondern  ich  wiinschte  lieber,  dass  sie  gar  nicht 
nach  Deutschland  kamen,  ohngeacht  Westphal  hier  und  Hummel  in 
Berlin  ganze  Quantitaten  von  Ihnen  wiirden  kommen  lassen .  Ich 
will  jedoch  Ihnen,  da  Sie  etwas  damit  zu  verdienen  glauben,  einen 


60  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

Weg  vorschlagen,  wodurch  Sie  zu  Ihrem  Bndzwecke  kommen 
konnten,  ohne  einen  Nachdruck  befiirchten  zu  durfen.  In  der 
zweiten,  dritten,  vierten  und  fiinften  Samlung  stehen  iiberhaupt 
Rondos.  Von  diesen  Samlungen  haben  Sie  4,  aber  die  5,  glaube  ich 
haben  Sie  noch  nicht,  und  kann  sie  Ihnen,  weil  2  Rondos  darin  stehen, 
iiberschicken.  Zu  diesen  11  Rondos  will  Ihnen  noch  4  neue  Rondos 
componieren ;  Ich  will  zufrieden  seyn,  dass  Sie  mir  Erlaubnis  zu 
dem  Drucke  dieser  schon  gedruckten  11  Rondos  offenthich  kundthun ; 
und  endlich  miissen  Sie  auch  bekannt  machen,  dass  ich  ausdriicklich 
fur  Sie  noch  nene  Rondos  dazu  gemacht  habe.  Diese  15  Rondos 
konnen  Sie  in  4  oder  wenigern  Abtheilungen  herausgeben.  Es 
muss  aber  in  jedem  Theile  etwas  neues  davon  stehen.  Dieses 
Mittel  und  meine  offentliche  Erlaubnis  sichert  Sie  gewiss  vor  einem 
Nachdruck. 

Fur  meine  Schadloshaltung  und  fur  meine  neu  dazu  gekommenen 
Composition  verlange  ich  nicht  mehr  und  nicht  weniger  als  34  Guinees. 
Ich  verspreche  Ihnen  zugleich,  dass  ich  die  4  neuen  Rondos  niemanden 
geben  noch  viel  weniger  drucken  lassen  will.  Ich  kann  Ihnen 
versichern  dass  1  Theil  von  meinen  Samlungen,  worin  nur  2  Rondos 
vorkommen,  nach  Abzug  aller  Kosten,  mir  wenigstens  1000  Mark 
hiesiges  Geld  bisher  eingebracht  haben,  ohne  einige  100  Exemplare 
zu  rechnen,  die  ich  noch  vorrathig  habe,  und  welche  nach  und  nach 
auch  verkauft  werden.  Die  Auslieferung  meiner  4  neuen  Rondos 
auf  einmahl  geschiehet  zugleich  bey  der  Bezahlung  auf  einmahl. 
Wir  sind  sterbliche  Menschen.  Wegen  der  Fantasien  kiinftig  oder 
mundlich  ein  mehreres.  Eine  baldige  genugthuende  Antwort  mit 
Ja!  oder  Nein!  elbitte  ich  mir. 

Mit  vielen  Griissen  verharre  ich  Ihr  Freund  und  Diener. 

Bach. 

Hier  in  Deuschland  hat  mir  noch  niemand  etwas  nachgedcrukt ; 
ich  wiirde  auch  so  gleich  in  den  Zeitungen  einen  solchen  Nachdrucken 
offentlich  als  einen  Betriiger  erklart  haben,  Dafiir  halt  man  hier 
durchgehends  einen  solchen  Menschen,  und  das  will  Keiner  wagen. 
Meine  offentliche  Eerlaubnis  zu  Ihrem  Drucke  und  die  neuen  eingemis- 
chten  Rondos  wurden  ganz  gewiss  einen  Nachdruck  zu  Ihrem 
Schadenabhalten."189 

These  letters  merely  show  that  Reinagle  before  coming  to 
this  country  was  a  capable  musician,  was  known  as  such  by  prominent 
musicians  in  Europe,  and  probably  through  his  intimacy  with  Bach 
would  have  studied  quite  extensively  the  compositions  of  German 
musicians. 


189The  originals  are  deposited  in  the  Library  of  Congress. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  61 

It  was  in  the  year  1786  that  Reinagle  arrived  in  New  York 
with  the  intention  of  settling.  He  inserted  the  following  advertise 
ment  in  the  New  York  Independent  Journal: 

"Mr.  Reinagle,  member  of  the  Society  of  Musicians  in  London, 
gives  lessons  on  the  pianoforte,  harpsichord  and  violin."190 

Evidently  he  did  not  prosper  according  to  his  expectations 
in  New  York,  since  the  same  year  he  established  himself  in  Philadel 
phia.  He  at  once  became  identified  with  the  musical  life  of  this 
city,  and  in  conjunction  with  H.  Capron,  W.  Brown  and  A.  Juhan, 
Reinagle  continued  the  "City  Concerts"  instituted  in  1783. 191  The 
first  programme  played  in  that  year  will  give  some  idea  of  the  taste 
of  the  people  of  that  epoch. 

FIRST  CONCERT,  OCT.  19,  1786. 

ACT  I. 

Favorite  Symphonic Vanhall 

Song,  Mr.  Capron Gretrey 

Sonata,   Piano  Forte Haydn  and  Reinagle 

ACT  II. 

Concerto    Flute Windling 

A  Favorite  Ronde. 

Solo  Violoncello Tilliere 

ACT.  III. 

Concerto  Violin Cramer 

New  Symphony Haydon192 

Miscellaneous  Concerto. 

It  will  be  seen  by  this  programme  that  German  music  had 
its  share  of  importance,  and  in  later  concerts  the  compositions 
of  Mozart,  Haydn,  Handel,  Bach,  Pleyel,  Abel,  Stamitz,  Schmittbauer 
Heimberger,  etc.,  were  given.  Undoubtedly  the  high  grade  of  these 
concerts  and  the  predominance  of  the  works  of  German  composers, 
was  due  to  the  musical  taste  of  Reinagle. 


190Quoted  from  History  of  the  Pianoforte  in  America,  by  Daniel  Spillane. 
191Sonneck,  Early  Concert  Life,  p.  78. 
192Quoted  from  ditto,  p.  81. 


62  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

It  is  not  our  intention  here  to  give  all  the  programs  which  were 
performed  in  Philadelphia  during  this  period.  Our  intention  is, 
however,  to  give  new  material  which  has  hitherto  not  been  published. 
The  "City  Concerts"  Sonneck  has  traced  through  the  year  1788, 
and  then  he  adds  that  "apparently  the  City  Concert  was  then  dis 
continued  as  no  further  reference  to  it  is  made  until  the  attempted 
revival  in  1792." 193 

Although  no  records  have  as  yet  been  found,  still  it  seems  very 
probable  that  these  concerts  were  continued  without  interruption 
through  1789-90.  For  the  year  1791  there  is  a  complete  file  of  the 
programs  given.  The  opening  announcement  is  as  follows: 

"The  first  Concert  will  be  held  on  Saturday  the  22d  instant, 
at  the  New-Rooms  in  Chestnut  street,  where  they  will  be  continued 
every  other  Saturday  during  the  Season." 

PLAN  OF  THE  FIRST  CONCERT. 
ACT  I. 

1.  Grand  Overture  of  Haydon,  Opera  51 

2.  Song,  by  a  young  Lady,  composed  by  Dr.  Boyce 

3.  Solo  on  the  Clarinet, Mr.  Wolff 

4.  Quartet    of Pleyel 

5.  Concerto  on  the  Grand  Piano  Forte Miss  Moller 

ACT  II. 

1 .  New    Overture    of Haydon 

2.  Song,    by   a   young   Lady,   composed   by A.    Reinagle 

3.  Concerto   Violin Master  Duport 

4.  Duett,  Grand  Piano  Forte  and  Violoncello, 

Mr.  Moller  and  Amateur 

5.  Finale    of Dalisac194 

SECOND  CONCERT,  FEB.  5. 

ACT  I. 
1 .     Overture Pleyel 


193Sonneck,  Early  Concert  Life,  p.  87. 
194Cf.  American  Daily  Adv.,  Jan.  19,  1791. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  63 

2.  Song Mr.  Wolff 

3.  Concertante Cambini 

4.  Sonato   on   the   Grand    Piano   Forte Miss   Moller 

5.  Concerto    Clarinet Mr.    Wolff 

ACT  II. 

1 .  Overture Pleyel 

2.  Song Mr.  Wolff 

3.  Duetto  Violin  and  Violoncello Beval 

By  Mr.  Duport  and  an  Amateur 

4.  Trio  on  the  Grand  Piano  Forte,  by Mr.  Moller 

5.  Quartet   Violin Mr.  Reinagle 

6.  Finale 195 

THIRD  CONCERT,  FEB.  19. 
ACT  I. 

1.  Grand  Overture  of Hayden 

2.  Sonato  Piano  Forte Miss  Moller 

3.  Quartett   Violin Pleyel 

4.  Concerto    Clarinet Mr.    Wolff 

5.  Solo  Violin  (in  which  are  introduced  some  favorite  Scotch  airs) 

Mr.  Reinagle 

ACT  II. 

1.  Overture Stamitz 

2.  Concerto  Violoncello,  by  an  Amateur. 

3.  Sonato  Piano  Forte Mr.  Moller 

4.  A  favorite  Concerto  of  La  Motte  by  Master  Duport 

5.  Finale 19<J 

FOURTH  CONCERT,  MAR.  5. 
ACT.  I. 

1 .  Grand  Overture  of Hayden 

2.  Miscellaneous    Quartet Mr.  Reinagle 


195Am.  Daily  Adv.,  Feb.  1,  1791. 
.  Daily  Adv.,  Feb.  16,  1791. 


64  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

3.  Sonato,  Grand  Piano  Forte Mr.  Holler 

4.  Quartette,    Clarinet Mr.  Wolff 

5.  Concerto,  Grand  Piano Miss  Moller 

6.  Quartet,    Violin Pleyel 

7.  Finale. 

ACT.  II. 

1 .     Overture  of Hayden 

After    the    Concert    Master    Duport    will    perform  a  Grand 
Dance."197 

FIFTH  CONCERT,  MAR.  26. 
ACT  I. 

1 .  Grand  Overture  of Hayden 

2.  Song. 

3.  Sonato,  Piano  Forte Miss  Moller 

4.  Quartete,    Clarinet Wolff 

5.  Overture 

ACT  II. 

1 .  Overture  of Gossec 

2.  Song. 

3.  Miscellaneous    Quartett Reniagle 

4.  Concerto   Piano   Forte Moller 

5.  Finale.198 

SIXTH  CONCERT,  APR.  16. 
ACT  I. 

1.  Overture Ditters 

2.  Sonata   Grand    Pianoforte Miss  Moller 

3.  Song Mrs.    Gee 

4.  Concerto,  Clarinetto Mr.  Wolff 

5.  Overture..  ..Abel 


19l4m.  Daily  Adv.,  Mar.  4,  1791. 
198Am.  Daily  Adv.,  Mar.  23,  1791. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  65 

ACT  II. 

1.  Overture Ld.  Kelly 

2.  Song Mrs.  Gee 

3.  Quartett  Violin Mr.  Reniagle 

4.  Concerto  Grand  Piano  Forte Mr.  Moller 

5.  Finale  of Haydn198 

LAST  CONCERT  OF  THE  SEASON,  APR.  30. 
ACT  I. 

1 .  Overture Abel 

2.  Sonata  Piano  Forte Miss  Moller 

3.  Song Mrs.   Gee 

4.  Concerto  Clarinetto. Mr.  Wolff 

ACT  II. 

1.  Overture Stamitz 

2.  Song Mrs  Gee 

3.  Miscellaneous   Quartett. Mr.    Reinagle 

4.  Concerto   Piano  Forte Miss  Moller 

5.  Finale  of Haydn200. 

Besides  the  City  Concerts,  so-called  Amateur  Concerts  were  given 
at  an  early  period  and  were  still  kept  up  in  1791,  contrary  to  the 
belief  of  O.  G.  Sonneck.  For  instance  there  are  advertisements  and 
programs  showing  that  the  usual  standard  of  concert-music  was 
performed 

" AMATEURS'  CONCERT. 

A  concert  will  be  performed  at  Mr.  Henry  Epple's,  at  Seven 
o'clock  this  Evening."201 

Again  we  are  notified  that  "this  Evening  the  3d  instant  there 
will  be  a  Ball,  only."202  It  seems  probable  that  these  concerts  were 
followed  by  a  dance. 


l"Am.  Daily  Adv.,  April  13,  1791. 
200Am.  Daily  Adv.,  Apr.  29,  1791. 
20lAm.  Daily  Adv.,  Feb.  3,  1791. 
202Am.  Daily  Adv.,  Mar.  3,  1791. 


66  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

Also  benefit  concerts  were  still  given  as  the  following  shows : 

Benefit  Concert  for  Master  Duport,  Mar.  19. 

ACT  I. 

1.  Overture  of Abel 

2.  Concerto,  Violin Master  Duport 

3.  Quartett  Clarinet Wolff 

4.  Sonato,    Piano    Forte Reinagle 

5.  Overture Hayden 

ACT  II. 

1.  Overture Vanhal 

2.  Trio  of Boccherini 

3.  Overture,  "La  Divan  de  Village"  of Rousseau203 

Benefit  Concert  for  Miss  Moller,  Apr.  2. 

ACT  I. 

1.  Overture Ditters 

2.  Song Mrs.     Gee 

3.  Sonato,  Grand  Piano  Forte Miss  Moller 

4.  Concerto,    Clarinetto Mr.    Wolff 

5.  Duetto,  Violoncello  and  Grand  Piano  Forte,  by  an  Amateur  and 
Mr.  Moller. 

6.  Finale Haydn 

ACT  II. 

1.  Grand  Overture Martini 

2.  Song Mrs.  Gee 

3.  Quartette Messrs.  Reinagle,  etc.,  etc. 

4.  Duetto,  Grand  Piano  Forte Miss  Moller 

5.  Finale Martini204 

Concerts  were  given,  too,  at  Vauxhall  with  programs  equally 
as  good  as  those  of  the  City  and  Amateur  Concerts,  and  an  orchestra 
was  undoubtedly  present.205 


203Am.  Daily  Adv.,  Mar.  17,  1791. 
204Am.  Daily  Adv.,  Apr.  2,  1791  J| 
.  Daily  Adv.,  Aug.  30,  1791. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  67 

"Vocal  and  Instrumental  Concert  at  Vauxhall,  May  18. 

FIRST  ACT. 

1 .  A  Grand  Overture  of Haydn 

2.  Sinfonia Stamitz 

3.  Solo   Rondo   Violin Phile 

4.  Quartette  Violin Davaux 

5.  Sinfonia Vanhall 

SECOND  ACT. 

1 .  Sinfonia  of Abel 

2.  Song— Bright  Phoebus. 

3.  Quartetto  Violino Kammell 

4.  Fisher's  Rondo,  Clarinett  by Mr.  Wolff 

5.  Sinfonia Abel 

After  which  Harmony,  Music  and  Songs."206 

VAUXHALL  CONCERT,  MAY  27. 

FIRST  ACT. 

1 .  Overture  of Lachmits 

2.  Sinfonia Stamitz 

3.  Quartetto  Violin Davaux 

4.  Song,  by Mrs.  Kenna 

5.  Sinfonia Abel 

SECOND  ACT 

1.  Overture Phile 

2.  Quartetto,  Clarinetto Wolff 

3.  A  Duetto,  Song  by Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kenna 

4.  Quartetto Schultz 

5.  Sinfonia Kammel 

Harmony  Music  and  Songs  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kenna.207 


20Mw.  Daily  Adv.,  May  17,  1791, 
207Am.  Daily  Adv.,  May  25,  1791 


68  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

VAUXHALL  CONCERT,  SEPT.  2. 

1 .  Grand  Overture  of Martini 

2.  Ditto Hayden 

3.  Ditto Selime  and  Azor 

4.  Concerto,  Violin  by Mr.  Phile 

5.  Solo  Rondo,  Clarinet,  by Mr.  Wolff 

3.  Ditto Selime   and    Azor 

4.  Concerto,  Violin by  Mr.  Phile 

5.  Solo  Rondo,  Clarinet, by  Mr.  Wolff 

6.  Song,  by Mr.  Wolff208 

By  comparing  these  programs  it  will  be  readily  seen  that  the 
performers  in  the  City  Concerts  also  take  part  in  the  Amateur  and 
Vauxhall  Concerts,  etc.,  so  we  may  be  sure  that  the  concerts  were  all 
about  on  a  par. 


The  City  Concerts  were  continued  the  next  season.309  The 
following  announcement  was  made  concerning  them : 

"City  Concert, 
Of  Vocal  and  Instrumental  Music. 

Under  the  direction  of  Messrs.  Reinagle  and  Moller.  The  vocal 
parts  by  Mrs.  Sewel  and  Mrs.  Morris.  The  concert  will  commence 
on  Saturday  the  19th  instant,  at  the  Assembly  Room,  in  Chestnut 
street."210 

FIRST  CONCERT,  NOV.  19. 

ACT  I. 

1.  New    Overture    of Mr.  Moller 

2.  Hunting  song  Mrs.  Morris 

3.  Concerto,  grand  piano  forte Miss  Moller 

4.  Quartette,  violin Mr.  Reinagle,  etc. 

5.  Overture. 


20Mm.  Daily  Adv.,  Sept.  2,  1791. 
209Sonneck,  Early  Concert  Life,  p.  87. 
2WAm.  Daily  Adi).,  Nov.  9,  1791. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  69 

ACT  II. 

1.  Overture    of Pichl 

2.  Duett,  violin  and  viola  of Stamitz 

3.  Song Mrs.  Morris 

4.  Sonato,  piano  forte  and  violin, Moller  and  Reinagle211 

SECOND  CONCERT,  DEC.  3. 

ACT  I. 

1.  Overture  of Abel 

2.  Song Mrs.  Morris 

3.  Sonata,  Pianoforte  Miss  Moller 

4.  Miscellaneous    Quartett Mr.  Reinagle,  etc. 

ACT  II. 

1.  Overture Reinagle 

2.  Duetto,  violin  and  viola. 

3.  Song Mrs.  Morris 

4.  Sonata,  piano  forte  and  violin Moller  and  Reinagle 

5.  Finale  of Abel212 

THIRD  CONCERT,  DEC.  17. 

ACT  I. 

1 .  Overture  of Stamitz,  senr. 

2.  Duet, Mrs.  Morris  and  Mr.  Reinagle 

3.  Sonata,   Piano  forte Miss  Moller 

4.  Quartett  of Pleyel 

5.  Overture Abel 

ACT  II. 

1.  Overture Pichl 

2.  New  Miscellaneous  Quartett Mr.  Reinagle 

3.  Song Mrs.  Morris 

4.  Sonata,  Piano  Forte Mr.  Moller,  of  Pleyel 

5.  Finale..  .Abel218 


21Mw.  Daily  Adv.,  Nov.  19,  1791. 
212 Am.  Daily  Adv.,  Dec.  1,  1791. 
2l3Am.  Daily  Adv.,  Dec.  15,  1791. 


70  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

FOURTH  CONCERT,  DEC.  31. 

ACT  I. 

1.  Overture,  4th  Opera,  10  of Abel 

2.  Song Mrs.  Morris 

3.  Sonata,   Piano    Forte Miss  Moller 

4.  Quartett  of Pleyel 

5.  Periodical    Overture Bach 

ACT  II. 

1 .  Overture Reinagle 

2.  Miscellaneous   Quartett Stamitz 

3.  Song Mrs.     Morris 

4.  Concerto,  Piano  Forte,   Mr.  Mollen,  of  Schroeter 

5.  Finale Abel214 

FIFTH  CONCERT,  JAN  14,  1792 

ACT  I. 

1 .  Overture    of Moller 

2.  Song  (from  the  New  opera  of  the  Woodman) Mrs.  Morris 

3.  Sonata,  Piano  Forte Miss  Moller 

4.  Concerto,  French  horn Mons.  Pelissier 

5.  Periodical  Overture  of Abel 

ACT  II. 

1 .  Overture  of Holtzwara 

2.  The  ist  Miscellaneous  Quartett  of Vachon 

3.  Song  (Damon's  all  inconstancy) Mrs.  Morris 

4.  Concerto,   Piano  Forte Mr.  Moller 

5.  Finale 215 

SIXTH  CONCERT 

ACT  I. 

1.  Overture    44th    of Vanhall 

2.  Hunting  Song Mrs.  Morris 


2UAm.  Daily  Adv.,  Dec.  30,  1791. 
™Am.  Daily  Adv.,  Jan.  12,  1792. 
.  Daily  Adv.,  Jan.  28,  1792. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  71 

3.  Sonata  Piano  Forte Miss  Holier 

4.  Miscellaneous  Quartett Mr.  Reinagle 

ACT  II. 

1 .  Overture   to   Rosina Shield 

2.  Song  (from  the  Woodman) Mrs.  Morris 

3.  Concerto,  Piano  Forte Mr.  Moller 

4.  Quartett,  French  Horn Mr.  Pellisier 

5.  Overture  of Jomelli218 

SEVENTH  CONCERT,  FEB.  11. 
ACT  I. 

1.  Overture  1st  of M.  A.  Guenin 

2.  Song Mrs.  Morris 

3.  Sonata,  Piano  Forte Miss  Moller 

4.  Quartett  of  Pleyel Mr.  Reinagle,  etc. 

5.  Overture  2d M.  A.  Guenin 

ACT  II. 

1 .  Overture  of Stamitz 

2.  Duetto,  Violin  and  Viola Moller  and  Reinagle 

3.  Song Mrs.  Morris 

4.  Concerto,  Piano  Forte Mr.  Moller 

5.  Finale Abel217 

EIGHTH  AND  LAST  CITY  CONCERT  OF  THE  SEASON  HELD 

MAR.  10. 

ACT  I. 

1.  Overture  6th,  op.  10,  of Abel 

2.  Song Mrs.  Morris 

3.  Sonata,  Piano  Forte Miss  Moller 

4.  Quartett,  Pleyel Mr.  Reinagle,  etc. 

5.  Overture Haydn 


217Aw.  Daily  Adv.,  Feb.  11,  1792. 


72  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

ACT  II. 

1.  Overture  57 Vanhall 

2.  Miscellaneous  Quartett 

3.  Song '.  .Mrs.  Morris 

4.  Concerto  Piano  Forte Mr.  Moller 

5.  Finale Crispi218 

Finally  a  "City  Concert  Benefit"  was  given  for  Miss  Moller. 

ACT  I. 

1.  Overture,    by Pichl 

2.  Song,  The  Traveller  benighted,  Miss  Moller 

3.  Quartette,  French  Horn Mr.  Pellisier 

4.  Grand  Ariette,  Sorti,  with  accompaniment  by  a  Guitar,  com 

posed    by Mr.    Cassaignard,    Amateur 

5.  Concerto  Violin Mr.  Phile 

ACT  II. 

1 .  Overture  by Abel 

2.  Ariette  Du  Marquis  de  Floriant,  by.  .  .Mr.  Cassaignard,  Amateur 

3.  Concerto  Piano  Forte Miss  Moller 

4.  Duetto,  Violin  and  Tenor Messrs  Reinagle  and  Moller 

5.  Finale Vanhall  219 

Foot-Note;  At  a  concert  given  at  Vauxhall  in  1792  the  instrumental  parts 
were  taken  by  a  number  of  Germans:  Messrs.  Phile,  Schulz,  Tremner,  [Scotchman 
Bremner,]  Roth,  Christhilf ,  Spangenberg etc.,  (Cf.  Am,  Daily  Adv.  June  8,  1792). 

Cf.  Durang,  History  of  the  Stage  in  Phila.,  Chapter  12,  who  gives  the  name 
Trimmer. 

A  glance  at  these  programs  or  at  the  City  Concert  programs 
published  by  Sonneck220  should  convince  anyone  that  the  musical 
taste  of  Philadelphia  was  good,  also  that  the  German  composers 
were  favorites — at  least  with  the  managers — and  a  predilection  was 
shown  for  Abel,  Stamitz,  Pleyel,  and  Haydn." 


*l*Am.  Daily  Adv.,  Mar.  8,  1792. 
™Am.  Daily  Adv.,  Mar.  31,  1792. 

220For  a  full  discussion  of  concert  life  Cf.  Sonneck,  (Early  Concert  Life}, 
as  well  for  French,  English,  and  German  influence. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  73 

Reinagle  was  not  only  interested  in  the  artistic  production  of 
music,  but  also,  according  to  one  writer,  in  the  industrial  develop 
ment.  He  is  said  to  have  had  a  share  in  the  piano  manufactory 
established  by  Charles  Tawes.221 

Concerning  the  residence  of  Reinagle  in  Philadelphia,  his  con 
temporaries  have  something  to  say.  At  that  time  Wignell  was  an 
important  factor  in  the  theatrical  world  and  in  the  fall  of  1791  he 
"associated  himself  with  Mr.  Reinagle,  a  professor  of  music  in 
Philadelphia,  and  a  composer  of  some  note  at  that  time.222  They 
founded  the  first  Chestnut  Street  Theatre,  "the  corner  stone  of  which 
was  laid  by  Mr.  Reinagle,  a  Master  Mason,  in  Masonic  form."223 

The  new  theatre  was  opened  to  the  public  for  the  first  time  on 
Saturday  evening,  April  2d,  1793,  "with  a  grand  concert  of  vocal 
and  instrumental  music."224 

"The  orchestra  department  was  under  the  direction  of  Man 
ager  Reinagle,  and  the  musicians  were  deemed  equal  in  ability  with 
the  stage  artists.  In  truth  the  orchestra  contained  about  twenty 
accomplished  musicians,  many  of  them  of  great  notoriety  as  concerto 
players  on  their  respective  instruments. 

"The  concentration  of  that  early  date  of  so  much  dramatic, 
operatic  and  instrumental  talent,  introduced  a  new  era  of  theatricals 
here. 

"Who  that  once  saw  old  manager  Reinagle  in  his  official 
capacity,  could  ever  forget  his  dignified  personne.  He  presided 
at  his  piano  forte,  looking  the  very  personification  of  the  patriarch 
of  music — investing  the  science  of  harmonious  sounds,  as  well  as 
the  dramatic  school,  with  a  moral  influence,  reflecting  and  adorning 
its  salutary  uses  with  high  respectability  and  polished  manners. 
His  appearance  was  of  the  reverent  and  impressive  kind,  which  at 
once  inspired  the  universal  respect  of  the  audience.  Such  was 
Reinagle' s  imposing  appearance,  that  it  awed  the  disorderly  of  the 


221Cf.  D.  Spillane,  History  of  the  Am.  Pianoforte,  p.  99. 
222Durang,  History  of  the  Stage  in  Philadelphia,  chapter  15. 
223Durang,  History  of  the  Stage  in  Philadelphia,  chapter  19. 
224Durang,  History  of  Stage  in  Philadelphia,  chapter  19. 


74  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

galleries,  or  the  fop  of  annoying  propensities,  and  impertinent  criticism 
of  the  box  lobby  into  decorum. 

"It  was  inspiring  to  behold  the  polished  Reinagle  saluting 
from  his  seat  (before  the  grand  square  piano  forte  in  the 
orchestra)  the  highest  respectability  of  the  city,  as  it  entered 
the  boxes  to  take  seats.  It  was  a  scene  before  the  curtain  that 
suggested  a  picture  of  the  master  of  private  ceremonies  receiving 
his  invited  guests  at  the  fashionable  drawing  room. 

"Mr.  Reinagle  was  a  gentleman  and  a  musician.  His  com 
positions  evinced  decided  cleverness  and  originality,  and  some 
of  his  accompaniments  to  the  old  opera  music  were  much  admired 
by  good  judges."225 

An  article  by  William  McKoy  presents  a  clearer  picture  of 
Mr.  Reinagle.  He  says: 

"Mr.  Reinagle,  one  of  the  Managers,  and  a  Professor  of 
Music,  used  to  be  seen,  but  only  on  particular  occasions,  seated 
at  the  Piano  Forte,  then  standing  against  the  stage,  in  the  rear 
of  the  band  [orchestra]  for  the  mere  purpose  of  touching  a  few 
notes  solo,  by  way  of  accompaniment  to  the  silvery  tones  of  Mrs. 
Wignell.  *  *  *  Mr.  Reinagle,  while  thus  enjoying  the  effect 
of  her  inimitable  chant,  exhibited  to  the  audience  a  head  not  un 
like  that  of  Louis  the  XIV  but  divested  of  the  simplicity,  bushy, 
powdered  hair,  large  high  forehead,  and  round  full  face,  illuminated 
by  silver  mounted  spectacle  glasses,  a  perceptible  smirk  at  all  times 
about  the  mouth,  and  an  extraordinary  depth  of  dimple  in  his 
cheek,  while  sitting  there  and  surveying  the  irritability  of  Mr.  Gilling- 
ham,  the  Leader  of  the  Band,  on  his  being  obliged  to  leave  the  music 
of  Handel  and  Mozart,  and  strike  off  into  the  'President's  March.'  "226 

In  Durang's  account,  the  compositions  of  Reinagle  are 
spoken  of  highly;  there  is  the  testimony  of  another  man,  an  actor 
in  Reinagle's  company,  to  substantiate  the  above  eulogy,  as  follows 
(1804) : 

"By  the  death  of  Wignell  *  *  *  the  management  de 
volved  upon  his  widow  and  Reinagle.  *  *  *  The  musical 


225Durang,  chapter  19. 

228Poulson's  Daily  Advertiser,  January  13,  1829. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  75 

department  fell  of  course  to  the  charge  of  Reinagle,  whose  com 
positions  and  adaptations  were  deserved  favorites  with  the  pub 
lic."227 

Again,  there  is  the  testimony  of  a  man  of  our  own  times 
to  show  that  the  above  praise  was  not  undeserved.  Speaking  of 
some  of  Reinagle's  sonatas,  O.  G.  Sonneck  says: 

"These  sonatas  follow  closely  in  the  footsteps  of  Ph.  Km. 
Bach  and  the  early  Haydn  without  being  void  of  individuality. 
If  the  larger  works  of  Reinagle  all  were  as  fine  and  effective  as 
these  sonatas  he  must  have  been  a  composer  of  merit."228 

Sonneck  has  published  titles  of  forty-two  works  ascribed  to 
Reinagle,229  to  which  we  have  added  several  others  some  of  which 
are  still  in  existence.  These  compositions  include  sonatas,  over 
tures,  preludes,  songs,  opera  music,  adaptations,  accompani 
ments,  etc. 

From  all  this  evidence  it  will  appear  that  Alexander  Reinagle 
must  have  been  a  great  force  in  music  in  Philadelphia,  and  did  much 
to  shape  the  taste  of  the  people  for  good  music — especially  for 
German  music,  and  may  thus  be  called  the  greatest  German  American 
musician  of  that  century. 

Concerning  his  home  life,  it  is  known  that  Reinagle  was 
married  and  had  two  sons,  Hugh,  a  scenic  painter  of  some  note, 
and  Thomas.  The  later  years  of  his  life  Reinagle  spent  in  the 
management  of  a  theatre  in  Baltimore,  where  he  died  September 
21,  1809.230 


227Wood,  Personal  Recollections  of  the  Stage,  p.  104. 
228Sonneck,  Early  Secular  American  Music,  p.  13. 
229Cf.  Sonneck,  Early  Secular  American  Music,  p.  139. 
230Durang,  chapters  19  and  24. 
Note:  For  a  list  of  Reinagle's  compositions,  Cf.  Appendix. 


76  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 
PHIUP  ROTH  AND  PHIUP  PHIUS 

Although  Alexander  Reinagle  was  the  greatest  musician  of  this 
period  there  were  others  of  importance  as  Juhan,  Moller,  Capron, 
Brown,  Schetky,  Wolff,  etc.,  etc.  It  is  not  our  intention  to  take  up 
these  men  separately,  as  material  is  too  scanty  to  warrant  it. 
Sonneck  has  given  short  biographies  of  most  of  these  men.231  There 
are  two  men,  however,  Philip  Phile  and  Philip  Roth  about  whom 
we  know  considerable.  They  were  both  musicians  of  no  mean 
calibre,  appeared  frequently  in  the  concerts  given  in  Philadelphia,  and 
were  also  composers  of  music. 

Philip  Roth's  first  public  appearance,  as  far  as  is  known,  was  in 
1771  at  the  benefit  concert  of  John  M'Lean,  when  an  overture  com 
posed  by  him  "for  the  occasion"  was  performed.232  This  piece  was, 
perhaps,  the  first  of  importance  composed  by  a  German  in  Philadel 
phia.  The  advertisement  speaks  of  him  as  "Master  of  the  Band, 
belongingto  his  Majesty's  Royal  Regiment  of  North  British  Fusileers." 
However,  as  will  be  shown  later,  he  was  undoubtedly  a  true  German. 

From  1771  to  1785  we  lose  sight  of  Roth,  but  then  he  appears  as 
a  music  teacher  in  Philadelphia.233  It  is  quite  likely  that  he  was 
here  still  earlier.  He  lived  in  Philadelphia  from  1785  on  until  his 
death  in  1804. 

The  importance  of  Philip  Roth  lies  in  the  fact  that  it  has  been 
claimed  by  some,  that  he  is  the  composer  of  "The  President's  March" 
to  which  the  song  "Hail  Columbia"  was  set.  Others  claim  that 
Philip  Phile  was  the  author.  The  claims  of  Philip  Roth,  which  at 


231Sonneck,  Early  Secular  American  Music,  Index. 

232See  Above,  p.  54. 

233Cf.  City  Directory  of  Philadelphia,  1785. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  77 

the  most  are  meagre,  rest  upon  an  article  in  a  newspaper  of  1829, 
written  by  Wm.  McKoy,  twenty-five  years  after  Roth  was  dead. 
This  article,  as  will  be  shown,  contains  one  error,  and  may  contain 
others.  The  article  in  question  reads  thus : 

"The  seat  of  the  Federal  Government  of  the  thirteen  United 
States  being  removed  to  Philadelphia,  and  in  honor  of  the  new 
President  Washington,  then  residing  at  No.  190  High  Street,  the 
March,  ever  since  known  as  the  President's  March,  was  composed  by 
a  German  Teacher  of  Music,  in  this  city,  named  Roth,  or  Roat, 
designated  familiarly  by  those  who  knew  him,  as  'Old  Roat.'  He 
taught  those  of  his  pupils  who  preferred  the  flute,  to  give  to  that 
instrument  the  additional  sound  of  the  drone,  while  playing  in  imita 
tion  of  the  Scotch  Bagpipe.  His  residence  was  at  one  time  in  that 
row  of  houses  back  from  Fifth,  above  Race  street,  at  that  time  known 
as  "The  Fourteen  Chimnies'  some  of  which  [1829]  are  still  visible  in 
the  rear  ground,  north  eastward  of  Mayer's  Church.  In  his  person 
he  was  of  the  middle  size  and  height.  His  face  was  truly  German 
in  expression;  dark  gray  eyes,  and  bushy  eye-brows,  round  pointed 
nose,  prominent  lips,  and  parted  chin.  He  took  snuff  immoderately, 
having  his  ruffles  and  vest  usually  sprinkled  with  grains  of  rappee. 
He  was  considered  an  eccentric  and  a  kind  of  drole.  He  was  well 
known  traditionally  at  the  Sampson  and  Lion,  in  Crown  Street,  where 
it  seems,  his  company,  in  the  Olden  Time  was  always  a  welcome 
addition  to  the  Pewter  Pint  Customers,  gathered  there,  at  their 
Pipes  and  Beer,  while  listening  to  his  facetious  tales  and  anecdotes, 
without  number,  of  High  Life  about  Town,  and  of  the  Players: 
Nick  Hammond,  Miss  Tuke,  Hodgkinson,  Mrs.  Pownall,  and  Jack 
Martin  of  the  Old  Theatre  in  Southwark.  This  said  President's 
March,  by  Roat,  the  popular  songs  of  Markoe,234  the  City  Poet,  in 
particular  the  one  called  'The  Taylor  done  over,'  and  the  beautiful 

air  of  'Dans  Votre  Lit/ were  sung  and  whistled  by 

everyone  who  felt  freedom  (of  mind)  to  whistle  and  sing. 


"Public  opinion  having  ....  released  itself  from  a  passion 
for  French  Revolutionary  Musick  and  Song,  experienced  a  vacuum 
in  that  particular,  which  was  immediately  supplied  by  the  new, 
National  American  Song  of  'Hail  Columbia  happy  Land,'  written  in 


234Peter  Markoe  (1768-1792)  born  at  Santa  Cruz,  West  Indies,  educated  in 
Eng.,  died  at  Phila, 


78  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

'98,  by  Joseph  Hopkinson,  Esq.235  of  this  city,  and  the  measure 
adapted  by  him  very  judiciously,  to  the  almost  forgotten  President's 
March.  Even  since  1798,  the  song  of  Hail  Columbia,  by  Joseph 
Hopkinson,  and  the  President's  March,  by  Johannes  Roat,  being 
indiscriminately  called  for,  have  become,  in  a  manner  synonymous 
to  the  public  ear  and  understanding,  when  they  are  actually  and 
totally  distinct  in  their  origin,  as  above  mentioned. 

"Such  was  the  popularity  of  the  song,  that  very  frequently  has 
Mr.  Gillingham,  Leader  of  the  Band,  [Orchestra],  been  forced  to 
come  to  a  full  stop  in  the  foreign  music,  he  had  arranged  for  the  evening 
by  the  deafening  calls  for  this  march,  or  song  to  the  march."236 

In  the  first  place,  we  wish  to  pick  out  a  few  errors,  which  will 
show  why  we  must  use  this  testimony  with  caution.  The  writer 
says  that  Roth  was  "well  known  traditionally,"  eviden tally  not 
personally  knowrn  to  him.  Again  he  says  that  the  "President's 
March"  at  the  time  "Hail  Columbia"  was  written  was  "almost 
forgotten,"  but  on  the  contrary  the  actor,  Gilbert  Fox,  urged  Joseph 
Hopkinson  to  set  words  to  that  tune  on  account  of  its  popularity. 
Thirdly,  he  says  that  the  march  was  written  by  Johannes  Roat. 
This  is  evidently  an  error  in  the  Christian  name  due  to  traditions  as 
we  will  try  to  show.  We  have  gone  carefully  through  the  city 
directories  from  1785  (when  they  were  first  printed,)  to  1806;  also 
the  newspapers  of  that  time,  and  wills  and  letters  of  administration 
but  find  no  record  of  a  "Johannes"  Roat.  We  find  a  Philip  Roth, 
and  we  shall  strive  now  to  give  proof  that  they  were  one  and  the 
same,  as  so  far  there  has  been  no  adequate  statement  of  this  fact. 

To  recapitulate:  Philip  Roth,  we  have  already  discovered,  was  a 
Band  Master  in  a  British  regiment  in  Philadelphia,  and  wrote  an 
overture  in  1771.237  All  trace  of  him  is  lost  during  the  war,  but 
he  probably  continued  to  fill  his  position  in  the  British  Army,  or 
possibly  the  same  position  in  the  U.  S.  army. 


235Son  of  Francis  Hopkinson  mentioned   above  as  an   important  figure   in 
Phila.  musical  development,  Cf.  Above,  pp.  ff. 
236Poulson's  Daily  Advertiser,  Jan.  13,  1829. 
237Cf.  Above,  p.  54. 
238Pa.  Jour.,  Sept.  10,  1788. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  79 

In  1785  there  is  the  name  Philip  Roots  in  the  city  directory. 
In  1788  he  has  an  advertisement  in  the  newspaper,238  while  in  1789 
we  have  the  following: 

"Mr.  Roth,  Music  Master,  In  Pennington  Alley  running  from 
Race  to  Vine  Streets,  between  Fourth  and  Fifth  Streets. 

"Teaches  all  kinds  of  Instrumental  Music  in  the  shortest  manner, 
viz.  Harpsichord  or  Piano  Forte,  Guitar,  Flute,  Hautboy,  Clarinet, 
Bassoon,  French  Horn,  Harp  and  Thorough-Bass,  which  is  the 
Ground  of  Music,  etc." 239 

In  this  advertisement  we  have  Mr.  Roth;  not  Philip  nor 
Johannes.  This  would  imply  that  the  above-mentioned  man  was 
the  only  person  in  Philadelphia  by  the  name  of  Roth  who  was 
a  music  teacher.  There  was  no  city  directory  after  1785  until  1791. 
In  this  year  there  appears  this  entry: 

"Philip  Roth,  musician  25  Crown  St."240 

Now  turning  to  the  advertisement  again  we  read  that  Mr.  Roth 
lived : 

"In  Pennington  Alley  running  from  Race  to  Vine  Streets,  be 
tween  Fourth  and  Fifth  streets."  But  the  city  directory  informs 
us  that  Crown  St.,  and  Pennington  Alley  were  one  and  the  same.241 
To  go  a  step  further,  let  us  compare  the  article  on  the  'President's 
March,'  above  quoted,  as  to  the  abode  of  Johannes  Roat,  which  says: 

"His  residence  was  at  one  time  in  that  row  of  houses  back  from 
Fifth,  above  Race  street,  at  that  time  known  as  'The  Fourteen 
Chimneys'  ....  north-eastward  from  Mayer's  Church."242 

Now  comparing  these  three  dwelling  places,  we  find  that  they 
were  on  the  same  street — at  least  two  of  them — and  the  third  in  the 
same  neighborhood ;  but  we  find  that  there  was  only  one  man,  which 
our  evidence  gives,  so  we  may  be  perfectly  sure  that  the  other  two 
men  may  be  fused  into  the  one — Philip  Roth.  This  man  lived, 
while  he  was  in  Philadelphia  in  one  locality  as  the  directories  show. 


239Pa.  Jour.,  Jan.  7,  1789. 
2MCity  Directory,  1791,  p.  110. 
241C%  Directory,  1795,  p.  81. 
242Cf.  Above  p.  77. 


80  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

1791  Philip  Roth,  musician,  25  Crown  St. 
1795  Philip  Roth,  31  Race  St. 

1798  Philip  Roth,  Crown  St. 

1797  Philip  Roth  musician,  Crown  St. 

1798  Philip  Roth,  musician  Crown  St. 

1799  Philip  Roth,  teacher  of  music,  33  Crown  St. 

1800  Philip  Roth,  teacher  of  music,  33  Crown  St. 

1801  Philip  Roth,  music  master,  33  Crown  St. 

1802  Philip  Roth,  music  master,  33  Crown  St. 

1803  Philip  Rote,  music  master,  33  Crown  St. 

1804  Philip  Rote,  music  master,  33  Crown  St. 

His  name  is  also  given  in  the  directory  of  1805,  but  nevertheless 
he  died  in  1804. 

From  the  above,  it  is  seen  that  he  lived  on  the  same  street  all 
the  time  he  was  in  Philadelphia,  with  the  exception  of  the  year  1795 
when  he  dwelt  at  31  Race  St.,  which  however,  was  not  far  away. 
We  see,  too,  the  different  appellations  given  to  him,  as  "musician," 
"teacher  of  music,"  and  finally  "master  of  music,"  Evidently  he 
was  skilled  as  a  musician,  and  was  respected  as  such. 

Little  else  is  known  about  Philip  Roth,  but  we  may  presume 
that  he  played  in  the  orchestra  of  the  "Old  Southwark  Theatre" — 
perhaps  was  even  the  leader,  since  we  know  that  he  was  well 
acquainted  with  the  actors.243  We  do  know  that  he  composed  a 
piece  of  music,  or  rather  set  to  music  a  "Hunting  Song,"  which  was 
printed  in  the  "Universal  Asylum,"  April,  1790.  He  must  indeed, 
have  been  a  skilful  musician  to  be  able  to  give  lessons  on  all  the 
instruments  in  his  advertisement — nine  in  all — although  he  could 
not  have  been  proficient  on  all.  Still  he  must  have  been  talented. 

The  date  of  his  death  has  been  misstated  by  the  only  author, 
who  has  mentioned  it  at  all.  O.  G.  Sonneck,  in  his  book  "Early 
Secular  American  Music"  (1905)  page  190,  and  in  an  article  lt  Critical 
Notes  on  the  Origin  of  Hail  Columbia"  printed  in  the  "Sammelbaende 
der  International  Musik-Gesellschaft"  (1901)  states  that  Philp 
Roth  died  in  1805. 


243Cf.  Above,  p.  89. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  81 

It  is  true  that  in  the  City  Directory  for  1805  his  name  is  found 
while  in  the  directory  for  1806  the  following  entry  appears: 

"Rote,  widow  of  Philip,  music  master,  94  N.  7th  St."144 

To  offset  the  above  evidence  there  is  the  documentary  proof  as 
follows : 

"On  the  24th  day  of  September,  1804,  Letters  of  Administration 
were  granted  unto  Mary  Roth  on  the  Estate  of  her  Husband,  Philip 
Roth  deceased. 

$200.  Henry  Lies  of  Philadelphia,  Victualler.  Jacob  Grace  of 
Nor.  Liberties,  Carter.  Sureties."245 

Philip  Roth  could  not  have  amassed  much  wealth  during 
his  musical  career,  since  his  surety  was  only  $200. 

So  much  for  Philip  Roth  and  his  claims  as  author  of  the  "Presi 
dents  March."  The  other  claimant  is  Philip  Phile,  about  whom  we 
know  as  little  as  about  Philip  Roth.  As  early  as  1784  Phile  was  in 
Philadelphia;  as  there  is  a  concert  advertised  for  his  benefit  in  that 
year.246  Somewhat  later  than  this  Durang,  a  contemporary  of 
Phile  tells  us  that : 

"The  orchestra  at  the  beginning  of  the  "Old  American  Company" 
production  was  Mr.  Philo,  leader]  Mr.  Bentley,  harpsichord;  Mr. 
Woolf,  principal  clarinet,  Trimmer,  Hecker,  and  son,  violoncello, 
violins,  etc.  Some  six  or  seven  other  names,  now  not  remembered, 
constituted  the  musical  force.  The  latter  were  all  Germans."247 

Mr.  Phile  was  occupying  a  somewhat  important  position — the 
leadership  of  a  German  orchestra  numbering  some  twelve  or  thirteen 
men.  From  now  on  until  his  death  in  1793, 248  Phile  wandered  back 
and  forth  between  New  York  and  Philadelphia.  In  1784  he  appears 
on  the  concert  programs  in  the  latter  city.  In  1786  with  Alexander 
Reinagle  he  played  a  duet  for  violin  and  'cello  in  New  York,249 


244City  Directory,  1806. 

245Cf.  Letters  of  Administration,  Book  K,  No.  156,  p.  178  in  office  of  Recorder 
of  Wills,  City  Hall,  Philadelphia. 
246Pa.  Packet,  Mar.  6,  1784. 

247Durang,  History  of  the  Stage  in  Phila.,  Chapter  12,  [A  rare  book]. 
248Sonneck,  Early  Secular  American  Music,  p.  189. 
249AT.  Y.  Packet,  Jul.  13,  1786. 


82  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

while  the  next  year  he  is  back  again  in  Philadelphia.250  In  1792  he 
takes  part  in  a  concert  together  with  Philip  Roth  and  other  Ger 
mans.251  Perhaps  Roth  was  a  member  of  his  orchestra.  After 
1789  he  apparently  settled  down  in  Philadelphia,  and  lived  on 
Race  St.,  between  Front  and  Second.252 

Such  is  the  knowledge  we  have  concerning  Phile's  life.  Let  us 
consider  what  are  his  claims  to  the  authorship  of  the  "President's 
March."  As  in  the  case  of  Roth,  the  march  was  claimed  for  Phile 
by  his  friends ;  but  in  his  case  there  are  two  different  accounts  of  its 
origin  as  follows:  1.  First  it  was  claimed  for  him  by  his  son,  who 
says  he  was  present  when  it  was  played.  He  says  that  the  march 
was  composed  by  his  father,  and  played  at  Trenton  Bridge  in  1789 
in  honor  of  Washington,  who  was  on  his  way  to  New  York  to  be 
inaugurated.253  2.  Second,  it  is  said  by  the  nephew  of  Washington, 
G.  W.  Custis  (1860),  that  this  march  was  played  in  the  John  St. 
Theatre,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  24,  1789  in  honor  of  Washington,  who  was 
present  that  evening.  The  composer  is  said  to  be  a  German  named 
Feyles.254  "Feyles"  is  a  corruption  of  Phile  and  we  also  find  it 
spelled  Philo,  Phylo,  Phyla,  Phyle,  Phyles,  Fyles,  etc. 

There  are,  then,  two  different  statements  as  to  the  composition 
of  this  piece  by  Phile,  which  would  lead  us  to  think,  that,  in  the 
minds  of  the  people  it  was  a  doubtful  question  as  to  how  and  when 
this  march  was  composed.  To  add  to  this,  the  claim  that  Philip 
Roth  composed  this  march,  only  makes  the  situation  more  confused. 
Sonneck  has  pointed  out  in  his  article  li  Critical  Notes  on  the  Origin 
of  Hail  Columbia,"255  that  there  was  no  account  in  the  daily  papers 
of  that  time  concerning  this  march,  as  there  probably  would  have 
been,  had  it  been  composed  in  honor  of  so  important  a  man  as 
Washington.  He,  however,  inclines  to  the  belief  that  Phile  did  write 


KOPa.  Packet,  Jan.  13,  1787. 
25  ^e  Above,  Note  to  72. 

^Sonneck,  Article  in  Sammelbande  (1901),  p.  156. 
^Baltimore  Clipper,  1841. 

254G.  W.  Custis,  Recollections  and  Private  Memoirs  of  Washing,  p.  368. 
Also  Diary  of  Geo.  Wash.  1789-1791,  (ed.  B.  J.  Lossing,  1860),  p.  56. 
255Sammelbaender  Internationalen  Musik  Gesellschaft,±I9Ql. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  83 

the  march;  but  until  a  manuscript  with  the  name  of  the  composer 
thereon  is  discovered,  we  cannot  say  with  surety  who  did  write  it.256 
We  have,  then,  these  two  composers  before  us  and  can  pay  our 
money  and  take  our  choice. 

Concerning  the  compositions  of  these  two  men  we  know  little. 
The  overture  composed  by  Roth  in  1771  has  already  been 
mentioned.  Sonneck  also  gives  a  "Hunting  Song"  set  to  music  by 
Mr.  Roth  in  1790.  Sonneck  credits  Phile  with  the  following  compo 
sitions. 

1787 

1.  Violin  Concerto  by  Mr.  Phile. 

1790 

2.  Harmony    Music,    Phile.257 
In  addition  to  these  we  have: 

1791 

3.  Overture  by  P.  to  be  played  at  Vauxhall  Concert,  May  27. 258 

4.  Concerto  Violin  by  Mr.  Phile.     At  Vauxhall  Sept.  2.259 


256Many  writers  have  expressed  an  opinion,  but  evidently  their  information 
consisted  of  a  knowledge  of  only  one  claim. 

257Cf.  Sonneck,  Early  Sec.  Am.  Music  for  these  compositions. 
258Am.  Daily  Adv.,  May  25,  1791. 
K9Am.  Daily  Adv.,  Sept.  2,  1791. 


84  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 


CONCLUSION. 

We  have  tried  to  show  the  gradual  growth  of  musical  taste  in 
Philadelphia,  especially  the  taste  for  German  music.  As  before  men 
tioned  this  taste  was  undoubtedly  stimulated  mostly  by  the  English 
musicians,  at  least  until  the  last  period.  In  that  period  the  English, 
and  German  musicians,  seem  to  have  worked  in  conjunction  to  keep 
up  the  standard  set  by  their  predecessors.  It  must  not  be  thought 
that  German  music  alone  ruled  in  Philadelphia.  During  the  French 
Revolution,  especially,  many  refugees  arrived  in  Philadelphia  and 
concerts  of  French  music  were  given  and  great  enthusiasm  was 
aroused  among  the  American  citizens.  However,  on  looking  over 
the  whole  century,  German  music  seems  to  predominate  over  the 
music  of  other  nations  in  Philadelphia.  Musical  taste  in  Phila 
delphia  after  the  Revolution  will  compare  favorably  with  the  taste 
shown  in  Europe  at  the  same  period. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  85 


APPENDIX. 
WORKS  OF  ALEXANDER  REINAGLE. 

Unless  otherwise  noted  this  list  has  been  taken  from  O.  G. 
Sonneck's  "Early  Secular  American  Music."  They  are  given  here 
according  to  date  of  production. 

1787. 

1.  Overture. 

2.  "A   Select   Collection   of   the   most   favorite   Scots   tunes. 
With  variations  for  the  pianoforte  or  harpsichord." 

3.  A  song  (newly  composed). 

1788. 

4.  "Federal  March,  as  performed  in  the  grand  procession  in 
Philadelphia,  the  4th  of  July,  1788.     Composed  and  adapted  for  the 
pianoforte,  violin,  or  German  flute." 

1789. 

5.  Song. 

"Adieu  thou  dreary  pile." 

Arranged  for  pianoforte  or  harpsichord  by  Reinagle. 

6.  Chorus,  sung  before  Gen.  Washington,  as  he  passed  under 
the  triumphal  arch  on  Trenton  Bridge,  April  21,   1789.     "Set  to 
music  and  dedicated  by  permission  to  Mrs.  Washington." 

7.  Song.     "In  vain  fond  youth  you  would  conceal." 

8.  Song.     "My  soul  is  thine,  sweet  Nora." 

9.  Song.     "The   Soldier   tried,   etc." 

10.  Song.     "Tantive   back   forward." 

11.  Song.     "Tis  not  the  bloom  on  Damon's  cheek." 

(These  songs  were  arranged  by  R.  for  pianoforte  or  harpsichord.) 

12.  Overture.     "La  Schiava"  (Piccini.) 

13.  Overture  to  opera  "Maria"  (Shield). 
(These  overtures  arranged  for  pf.  by  R.) 


86  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

1791. 

14.  Song.     "Winter."     Set  to  music  by  R.  with  pf.  ace. 

15.  Miscellaneous    Quartet.     Played    at    the  "City    Concert" 
Mar.  5,  1791  and  often  the  remainder  of  the  season.260    This  compo 
sition  is  dated  by  Sonneck  1793. 

16.  New  Miscellaneous  Quartet.     To  be  played  at  the  "City 
Concert"  Dec.  17,  1791. 261 

1794. 

17.  Song.     "America,  Commerce  and  Freedom."     By.  R. 

18.  "La  Chasse"     (Rosetti).     Arranged      for     pianoforte      or 
Harpsichord  by  R. 

19.  "Concerto  On  the  Improved  Pianoforte  with  Additional  keys. 

20.  "La    Foret    Noire     (serious    pantomime.     Overture,    etc., 
entirely  new,  composed  by  Mr.  Reinagle.") 

21.  Occasional  Overture. 

22.  "Preludes  in  three  classes,  for  the  improvement  of  prac 
titioners  on  the  pianoforte." 

23.  "Robin     Hood"      (comic    opera,)    original     overture     by 
Baumgarten,  additional  airs  by  R. 

24.  "Slaves  in  Algiers"   (play  interspersed  with  songs),  Music 
by  R. 

24.     "Spanish   Barber"    (opera  translated   from   Beaumarchais, 
by  G.  Colemann),  additional  airs  by  Reinagle  and  Carr. 

1795. 

26.  "Harlequin  shipwreck'd"  (Pantomime).     New  music  by  R. 

27.  "Harlequins  invasion"  (Pantomime.)     New  medley  overture 
by  R. 

28.  "Volunteers"     (comic    opera).     Music    and    overture    en 
tirely  new. 

29.  "The  Purse"     (musical  drama    by    J.  J.  Cross),    accom 
paniments  and  new  airs  by  R. 


260Cf.  Am.  Daily  Adv.,  Mar.  4,  1791.     Also  programs  given  in  this  book  for 
1791. 

261Cf.  Am.  Daily  Adv.,  Dec.  15,  1791. 


Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia.  87 

30.  "Auld  Robin  Gray"   (opera),    new  music      and    a    Scot 
tish  medley  overture  by  R. 

1796. 

31.  "Mountaineers"    (comic    opera),    accompaniments    by    R. 

32.  "Pierre  de  Province  and   La    Belle    Magulone"    new  music 
by  R.     This  was  also  called   "The  Rival  Knights"  or  La  "Belle 
Magalone"  a  pantomime.262     Probably  this  was  the  same  thing  as 
"Pierre  de  Province  "although  the  latter  was  advertised  as  a  "ballet." 

33.  "Grand  Divertisement  in  the  Temple  of  Liberty  taken  from 
the    celebrated    Ballet,    called,    Warriors    Welcome    Home.     The 
Overture  and  Music  compiled  by  Mr.  Reinagle  in  which  is  introduced 
a  number  of  Irish  and  Scotch  Airs."263 

34.  "The  Shamrock"  (Irish  dance),  Irish  medley  Overture  by 

R    264 

35.  "Witches  of   the   rocks  or   Harlequin   everywhere"    (Pan 
tomime),  "with  an  entire  new  overture,  songs,  choruses,  and  recita 
tions  composed  by  Mr.  Reinagle." 

1797. 

36.  "Columbus"  (historical  play),  incidental  music  by  R. 

37.  Savoyard  (musical  farce),  music  by  R. 

1798. 

38.  "  'The  Gentle  Shepherd',  written  by  Allan  Ramsay.     With 
original  airs  and  the  accompaniment  by  Mr.  Reinagle."     This  was 
called   "the  favorite  comical  Scot's  Pastoral"  and  was  to  be  per 
formed  at  the  New  Theatre.265 

39.  "Italian  Monk"  (opera),  music  and  accompaniment  by  R. 

1799. 

40.  Monody.     "On    the    Death    of    the    much    lamented,    the 
late  Lieutenant-General  of  the  Armies  of  the  United  States.     The 


262Cf.  Am.  Daily  Adv.,  Jim.  27,  1796. 

263Cf.  Am.  Daily  Adv.,  Mar.  28,  1796. 

264Perhaps  the  same  as  advertised  in  Am.  Daily  Adv.,  May.  7,  1794. 

2Q5Am.  Daily  Adv.,  Apr.  16,  1798. 


88  Early  German  Music  in  Philadelphia. 

Music  composed  by  R.  Taylor,  and  Mr.  Reinagle."     To  be  given  at 
the    New    Theatre.266 

41.  "Blue  Beard"   (opera  accompaniments  by  R.) 

42.  The  Arabs  of  the  desert,  or  Harlequins  flight  from  Egypt," 
with  a  new  Overture  and  Music,  composed  by  Mr.  Reinagle."267 

Probably  before  1800  (date  not  known). 

43.  Collection    of    favorite    songs,    divided    into    books.     The 
basses  rendered  easy  and  natural  for  the  pianoforte  or  harpsichord 
by  Alex.  Reinagle." 

1800. 

44.  Masonic   overture. 

45.  "Naval  pillar"    (musical  entertainment),   accompaniments 
by  R. 

46.  "Pizarro,"    by   Kotzebue;     adapted    by    R.    B.    Sheridan; 
music  by  Reinagle  and  Raynor  Taylor. 


2™Am.  Daily  Adi.,  Dec.  23,  1799. 
267Cf.  Am.  Daily  Adv.,  Apr.,  13,  1799. 


AMERICANA  GERMANICA 

NEW  SERIES 
MONOGRAPHS  DEVOTED  TO  THE  COMPARATIVE  STUDY  OF  THE 

Literary,  Linguistic  and  Otter  Cultural  Relations  of 
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EDITOR 
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University  of  Pennsylvania 


CONTRIBUTING   EDITORS 

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A.  B.  FAUST  HERMANN  SCHOENFELD 

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HENRY  WOOD 


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